OTAGO EARLY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 52

OTAGO EARLY SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

A committee meeting, hold in the office of th • Otago Early Settlers.' Association on Monday evening, wa- attended by Mr John Reid tin the chair), Drs Fulton ai-d Will, Messrs Goo. Calder, W. 11. Ferens, G. C. Proudfoot (treasuiefr), and L. Langlands (secretary). Tho Secietary repoiteei that the sixty-second anniversary ot* the settlement o£ Waikouaiti was c"lcLiat;d there on Wednesday, 19th Maich, 1902, ai"l ,us ? great sulccs. Favoured b; a peifpco day, there was a very large attenctnicc, visitors turning from all part-, and harve'tnig operations being >-u?noiKled on account oi ruin having tallcn two diya previously, enabled a hirge number to atteuid who otherwise would have heen too bu^y. The School Ci mmtttee \eiy generously allowed the use ot the school giounds for the occasion, and this f-ite w?s found to hn a great improvement on that oi the Domain, which wan u«cl last year. Icing higher and drier, with the advantage of lriving the school lnnlcbngs to fall back on. Ample provision had been made by tho local lady residents, and the male and female committees were luitirn s ln then efforts to make tho via'to r -> ciijny tliemtc'vp-i, and sneceeded. The hall was crowded m the evening foi the fcocial, which went off well YVdikounti h to be complimented on :ts local talent. Auiojigst otlirrs, the speeches ot Meaaia John Duncan and Chail'-s Duke vac thoiougnly appropriate to the c CB.sio-1. TUc dai.ee that follov.ed was kept up with great spirit. Ihe locid band made thcr Hist appearance in publ'c at tie cplebration last year, and, opening on such an auspicious occasion, the secretary predicted a, (,'ieat futu'o for them, which prediction, judging fiom the <- t -lections they kindly gave during the afternoon, bids fair to be speedily realised, llighlv successful as the two celebrations at "Wuikouuiti have b^en, it is a question :[ they would not, bo still more s O if the time fixed for holding them were kept quite apait from harvesting operations, and also if the local residents would agree to some other day than Wednesday for their half-holiday m the week m which it is to be held, as th it would allow inanv inteiested in the Buruside sales to attend, and although "Wednesday is also the Dunedin half-holiday no benefit is derived, there being no midday tiains from Dunedin. The 21th of Maich, the day fixed m Dunedin Ho hold the anniversary (the 23rd being Sunday), and to celebrate the jubilee of the arrival of "the schooner M;<ry. from Akuroa, ar>d tho ships Columbus, M no n. and Agra, from London, via northern ports, was a most inclement day, lain falling without intermission, the country districts being flooded, and railway communication being nartly blocked. In spite of all difficulties some member -i m-de heroic efforts to be present, and the leumoii numbered about 350, including n.cmbers from Tokomairiro, Taieri. Flag Swamp, Central Otago, and intermediate placed, also, by invitation, Mr D. M'Phersou (president ot the Gaelic Society), Mr W. M'-Xee (president of the Burns Club), with some members of committee of those, anil the Caledonian Society. Some leading members of the musical talent of Dunedin had _ braved the discomfort of such a night to add) to the pleasure of those piesent, and it must have been gratifying to them to see with what enjoyment their cho cc and well rendered seleetionj wcie lcceived. Appropriate addresses were gnen by Mc-ssis Donald Rsicl (president) and E. B. CargiU, also interesting reminiacerces of ? residence in China by a Dunedinborn r.nd c-x-High School boy, Mr A 11. Adam", son of Mr C. "W. Adam-, Blenheim, late cluci bui veyor, Otago. Votes of thanks were pa"«ctl to Mrs R TTucTson, ]un., Mhs Amy Muiphy, Miss Xelhe BUck, ?nd Mr Hu?h Wright for their musical items, to Miss Elsie Black, who played tiie accompanviment for her sister, to Mr Lomas and tho " other gentlemen composing tho orchestra, all of those named having very kindly given, their ser\!ce~, to the committee of laches (of whom Mrs Ridley i<3 president), who not only provided for the tables, but al-o took on themselves the duty of dispensing the good things, the arrangements for which wero well planned, and carried out in a most satisfactory manner, and. to Mr Andrew A. Aitkett J^ftiSiiLftttd. ££c jY4U.auA jiitWiUidi ifilmgigre}*

*ho each contributed a ham to the catering department. The Secretary also reported that he had been xequestejd by the Queen's Statue Memorial Corulnittee to provide material illustrative of the early history of Otago for a panel of the statue, and that he had done so to the satisfaction of the committee. April being the last month of the financial year, the secretary said it was a matter of regret that there were still some outstanding subscriptions due, end it was resolved that the secretary at once call in such subscriptions, and tha-t in future rule Xo. 8 be adhered to — viz.: " That the annual subscription of 5s shall be payable by each member in May, being the first month of the financial year. Subscriptions can be paid to the secretary at Ins office, Agricultural Buildings, to Messrs John Reid and Sons, or any of the district lepresentaTives. The annual report was left to the secretary to draw up, and to lay before next meeting for consideration Thirty-four new members were enrolled. The following deaths were recorded — Percival Barker, 78, Gisborne. 1861. R. B. Martin, 84, Christchurch, 1860. Mrs James Cullen (Jean Stevenson), 73, Philip Laing, 1848. Robt. Sheriff, 58, Wakari. Mariner. 1850. Mrs Peter Robertson, 81, Lawrence, Robert Henderson, 1858.