CENTENARY FUNCTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27081, 16 May 1949, Page 6

CENTENARY FUNCTION

LANDING OF HAY FAMILY AT WILLSHER BAY DESCENDANTS GATHER An event of unusual historical interest took place at Romahapa, in the South Molyneux district, at the weekend, when nearly 70 descendents of Mr and Mrs George Hay, who arrived at Willsher Bay from Port Chalmers in an open boat in '{March, 1849, gathered to commemorate the centenary of their landing. ~ , , The celebrations, which began on Saturday, and concluded yesterday, were attended by members of the family who came from as far afield as Auckland and Bluff. Proceedings opened with a lunch at the Kaka Pom.. Hall, at which many telegrams of good wishes were read by the chairman, Mr N. G. Hay, who is on furlough from Nigeria. , , After photographs, had been taken, the gathering assembled at the Willsher Bay Domain, where a stone seat with a tablet commemorating the landing of Mr and Mrs Hay. was presented to the Willsher Bay Domain Board. Mr G. Hay. of Timaru, handed over the seat, which was accepted by Mr G. McK. Barr, chairman of the board. At the presentation. Miss Nola Miller, of Roxburgh, read an account of the Hays’ journey from Port Chalmers to Willsher Bay. Mr J. Campbell, a member of the board, also spoke. After the presentation of the seat, the members of the Domain Board were the guests of the Hays at an afternoon tea at Kaka Point. At, this stage a two-tiered centenary cake, decorated with figures in a tiny open boat, representing the original family, was cut By Mrs Owen Gould, of Hampden, the only surviving daughter of Mr J. Hay, who, as a babv of six months, was carried ashore at Willsher Bay by the Maori Princess Makariri. Later in the day seven trees, one for each member of the first generation of the Hay family, were planted at “Hilly Park,” Romahapa. Hillv Park, .the original Hay holding, is still in the possession of a descendant of the family ’ The celebrations concluded with a service in the Kaka Point Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning. The preacher was the Rev' H. McLean, and the lesson was read from the family Bible of the Hays. During the service a plaque was unveiled in the church in memory of Mr and Mrs Hay, in whose house at Hilly Park the first service in the South Molvneux district was held on March 19, 1854.