Valedictory

Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, Volume XIV, Issue 713, 28 January 1919, Page 3

Valedictory

PRESENTATION TO MR AND MRS JAMES KING AND FAMILY. Bolmonfc Hall, famous us the scene of many a gathering of the folks out beyond tlie Waiau and Wairaki, was again the magnetic centio which drew a goodly company from all the homesteads for miles m either direction and right, up from Invercargill and Otautau on Friday evening on the occasion of a farewell social to Mr and Mrs James King and family of Blackmount. The climatic conditions might have been considered more suitable for winter than summer, but the coldness of the atmosphere only seemed to more strikingly contrast Vh-j warmth uf tiie sociability. Belmont) (or Mangapiri) is the centre of a land of magnificnt distances, and when one hundred people get together there, many many leagues have been travelled by tlie units making up the assemblage. Mr and Mrs Bradley, witli tlieir usual hospitality, received visitors, a r.iaring lire iv a huge chimney, making a cheery warmth which soon thawed out the cold of driving or motoring. Mr P. Roagv, '' Montevuo," presided, an'l referred m felicitous let ins to the work ol "Mr King on behalf of the District and the place that, Mrs King and family held m the'esteem if their neighbours. Mr W. Bradley. " Mangapiri," m one of his characteristic little speeches} presented Mr ami Mrs King, on behalf of the residents of Wai raki Upper Waiau, with a handsome travelling suit f-ase. <* Mr Cuthbert, " Sunnyskky' followed with gifts to tlie Misses King, a lady's satchel to Miss King aud a hand mirror to Miss Kathy King, while Mr Andrew Glendinnlng, representing tho young bloods of the mountains, presented Mr Stc>vart lying with a very fine pocket wallet. Each speaker emphasised the indebtedness of the district to Mr King and his family, Mr Bradiey mentioning- that iv championing the district for public works Mr King was '* the whole team, tho and big dog, under the waggon" ; Mr Cuthbert to the Misses King as helpers m overy social function and with Mrs King kindness itself at Blackmount, while Mr (Uendinuing pronounced Stewart as a good pal out on the Taki's, or a toiler m getting up any dances or concert m the district. Other speakers were Messrs Crosby Smith, (Invercargill) J. Fisher (Otautau), and P. Beggs (Otautau). Mr King was greeted with a most cordial reception on replying. After thanking the donors for their gifts, which lie and his family would treasure, he stated that it -vas with genuine regrot they wore leaving "Blackmount," to which they had become greatly attached, an attachment they wero only beginning te realize the depth of since they had sold out. He had great faith m "Blackmount" and the whole adjacent country ; there wero great possibilities ahead of it,, and he wished his successor every good fortune. The great drawback to all these runs was the insecurity of the tenure. On ' : Blackmount " he could see his way to an immediate and profitable expenditure of £10,000, an expenditure that would be good for the owner, the district and tke cou u try, but such an outlay was barred by the insecurity cf a short lease tenure. A man tit the end of his lease might easily be put out with ouly a fraction of compensation for his outla3'. This was bad for the country and stopped enterprise. He urged settlers to battle unceasingly for the expenditure oi grants voted on behalf of their reads. For the rates collected during the past forty years the roads were a standing disgrace to the Dominion and local administration, and as ratepayers they should protest vigorously against parsimonious and unjust treatment meted out to them. The recollections of disabled niotgrs, broken and overturned vehicles, arid excessive traction charges called forth sympathetic resp.uise m those who had gme down to the axle m mud. Tnroughout the evening songs by Messrs Crosby Smith, W. N. Anderson, H. Trcssider, and H. C. Cuthbert were much appreciated, while merry dancing made the hours swing round till Old Scl poked his nose over the Taki's and everybody turned towards home. Before breaking up, three hearty cheers were accorded Mrs T. H. Cupples for presiding at the piano, both as accompauiste and for the dancing. Needless to say, the company had been catered for with an abundance of dainty refreshments supplied by the district ladies.