COUNTRY NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22714, 29 October 1935, Page 13

COUNTRY NEWS

LAWRENCE Domain Board The monthly meeting of the Lawrence Domain Board was held on Friday afternoon, Mr A. L. Hart (chairman) presiding. The Works Committee reported having inspected the Recreation Ground and decided to proceed with the sowing of grass seed. During the month 51 loads of debris had been put on the hockey ground for levelling purposes. Accounts amountins to £2l J2s were passed for payment. Church Social On Thursday evening the congregation of the Lawrence Presbyterian Church entertained the minister (the Kev. H. H. Barton) and Mrs Barton at a social evening prior to their departure for the general assembly to be held at Wellington. A large and representative gathering was present from the neighbouring parishes. The Rev. J. B. Bickerstaff, moderator of the Clutha Presbytery, occupied the chair. The chairman congratulated Mr Barton and bis congregation on the honour which the courts of the Church had bestowed upon them. Mr Barton was a man of great intellectual and spiritual character, and altogether a man of outstanding abilities. He had proved his fitness to occupy the highest position in the I'resbyterian Church —that of moderator of the General Assembly. The Rev. Mr Anderson (Beaumont), on behalf of the surrounding parish churches, the Rev. P. Bridge, on behalf of the Methodist community, Mr A. Clulee, for the session. Mr J. B. M'Kinlay, for the congregation, Mr R. C. Moore, for the Anglican community, and the Rev. T. Knight all expressed their pleasure at the high honour conferred upon Mr Barton, and hoped that he would unhold the traditions of his church in the high office he was occupying. Mrs D. Walker, one of the oldest members, presented the moderatorial robes to Mr Barton, and expressed the hope that his term of office would be fraught with much blessing to the Church as a whole. Mrs D. M'lntosh, on behalf of the ladies of the congregation, presented Mrs Barton with a bouquet and expressed the best wishes of the ladies of the church. Mr Barton, in his reply, thanked all for their kindly remarks and congratulations, and paid a tribute to his wife, who had been a tower of strength to him during his ministry, and without whose help hh ministry would never have been so successful. . During the evening musical items were contributed by the Lawrence Male Choir and the church choir, and solos by Miss T. Ferguson, and Mrs Holy and Mrs F. Gray a»ted as accompanists.