LOCAL HISTORIANS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27166, 23 August 1949, Page 6

LOCAL HISTORIANS

STRATH-TAIERI DISTRICT COMPLETION OF TASK RECOGNISED A large gathering of some 250 people representative of the Strath-Taieri and Macraes districts, met on Friday night to honour Mrs H. M. Thompson and those associated with her in the publication of the history of the district, “East of the Rock and Pillar.” The Strath-Taieri Highland Pipe Band was on parade and entertained with popuExtending a welcome to the visitors and friends, Mr F. M. Howell, the chairman of the Strath-Taieri and Macraes Historical Committee, expressed his gratitude for the assistance given to them by the Otago Centennial Historical Committee, and especially by its chairman. The people °f St-ath-Taieri, said Mr Howell, were proud of the history which had oe-n induced, and they all acknowledged in particular the debt they owed to Mrs Thompson and her colleagues for what they had done. Mr Howell’s remarks were endorsed by Mr A. C. Cameron, who briefly mentioned the events which had led to the formation of the local committee, and congratulated the committee members on the successful completion of two years’ research. “The Strath-Taieri district has been particularly fortunate in having a person of the calibre of Mrs Thompson as editor,” he said. “Her enthusiasm and that of Mrs M. C. Brenssell, together with the support given by Mrs G. H. Atkinson, Mr G. S. Gillespie and all the members of the committee, have resulted in a work that is a credit to the district. Mr Cameron then referred to the sustained effort which had made such an achievement possible, and concluded by saying that it had been a great pleasure to work with the chairman, editor and secretary. Dr A. H. McLintock. the director of the Otago centennial historical publications, also emphasised the value of the work carried out by Mrs Thompson and her associates. It was a surprising fact, he said, that before the appearance of “ East of the Rock and Pillar” it had been almost impossible to secure reliable information on the Strath-Taieri area. Fortunately that omission had now been remedied, and future generations would refer with profit and pleasure to the story of settlement in me Strath-Taieri as narrated by Mrs 0 M. Heffernan. the chairman of the Macraes sub-committee, paid a tribute to Mrs Thompson’s achievement and mentioned especially the happy spirit of co-operation which had ammated the members of the various committees throughout the whole distr Presentations were made to Mrs Thompson, Mrs Brenssell, Mrs A. G. Stevens, who had been responsible for typing the script, and Mr G S. Gillespie, who had compiled the opening sections of the book, by Mr Howell. , _» Mrs Thompson mentioned some of the difficulties which had been surmounted and said that it had been the object of the committee to record fact and not anecdote. She had been greatly heartened by the generous support she had received, and in that respect she owed much to their chairman, Mr HowelL Items were presented by Misses Shirley Mcßae and Yvonne Hill. Supper was served, and a dance concluded the evening.