WAITATI. IWOSGIEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2522, 16 July 1902, Page 40

WAIT ATI.

IWOSGIEL.

Ju'.y 12.— This time I cannot take up my pen lo (.-ail against the weather. For the last. 10 days it has been mild and dry— more like spring than winter. One can now walk from the station to the Home without plunging about in the mud. Dance.— On the 20th ult. the bachelors of SVaitati gave a very enjoyable dance. It was i beautiful mooahght night, and in consejuence there was a very large attendance. The pausic (piano and violin) vtps excellent, and Eancing was kept up with great vigour till a late, or, rather, an early, hour. Social to Returned Troopers.— On the evening of Thursday, 3rd inst., a hearty welcome was accorded "to tho Messrs Kiee— thr&e brothers- who have just got back from South Africa. The Good Templars' Hall was beautifully -decorated with ferns, and with pictures of the various British generals draped with flags. The building was crowded lo excess, people coming from far and wide to do honour to the brave lads whom they had known from fcoyhood. Mr Kilpatriek was chairman, and •with him on the platform were the Rev. A. •Finlayson, Messrs Davidson, Klee (senior), ar.d the three troopers. After an introductory speech by the chairman, the Misses N. and W. Colehan played a duet in their usual pleasing jityle. Next came a recitation by Miss Farq:i.harsou, entitled •" The Ballad of Splendid Silence," which was 'much appreciated. Then followed a speech by Mr W. Davidson, of Morn-lino-ton (formerly headmaster of the Waitati Public School). Mr Davidson said that he was very pleased to tavc been invited to take part on this occasion, as the Messrs Klee had been pupils of hi 3. He w.is not surprised lo hear that they had gone to the front, because when at school there never was a fight or disturbance of any kind but the Klee brother* weie fnire lo be in the thick of it 1 Mr Davidson then presented each of the troopers with a gold ■albert and locke\ suitably inscribed. Tho •troopers were too much o\ erconie to moke elaborate speeches, but they showed plainly that they were grateful to their friends for giving them such a hearty reception. They had been in many "tight" places, but had never felt bo cornered before. The musical programme was then continued. Miss Drury played ■"Alice," a solo (piano); a-nd Mips Ferguson sang "Thy voice is near." Comic songs were eung by Messrs Pettit and Eaeton. The hi 1 1 •was then cleared for dantire, Mr and Mi?« "Wilson supplying the .music. The supper was provided by tic ladies of the district, and jusiice was done to the varied assortment of dainties which had been contributed. Altogether, the social was a great huccess, and it was right that it should be so, as the three troopers are the sons oi a very old Wu.itati resident. Mr riles is a Frenchman, and is well lcnown in this district, his five sons bavin-; received their early education at the Waitati School. The youngest son, Alexander, won a Bcholarship aud attended tbe Port Chalmers District High Sohool. After winnirg the dux medal there, he went to the Otago Bo\s' High School, and, having passed the Civil Service Examination, received an appointment at Oamaru, and since then he has been transferred to Cromwell. After leaving school Lcuis, Victor, and George weut to the North Island. There they separated, and did not meet again until they met in the camp of the Seventh Contingent. All three troopers had mauy interesting adventures to relate, Victor taking an active part in the Bothasbeig incident. Wonderful to tell, notwithstanding their hairbreadth escapes, the trio came through it all without a scratch. On their return from. South Africa, the troopers came back to their old home in Waitati to &cc their father and eistor {Mrs M'Giil). who haU hardly dared to expect *he return of all three.

On Friday evening last the yoang people of Mosgiel entertained Troopers GiUigan aud Whyle, lately returned fiom tbe war, a- a social iv the Volunteer Hal! There was a very large muster, and a first-class evening was bpent. Mr A. Quelch opened the proceedings with a short, pointed, vigorous speech, which did him great credit, after v. hich dancing commenced, interspersed with speeches, sor.g», and recitations. The Mayor (Mr Thomas Aitkeu) gave a brief, practical address, and apologised for his inability to be present to assist in meeting the troopers on the night of their return. He fluoke lughlx ©* the efforts oi Lka Uuki

boys in South Africa. Mr 7. J. Ramsay followed with a patriotic speech, in which specially referred to the manner in which New Zealand, the most democratic little colony in tho British Empire, had shown herself to be the most patriotic of all, and said that from beinw known only as a little gToup of islands in the fai-away corner of the South Pacific Ocean she had blossomed forth as one of the leading colonies in the British Empire. He also referred to the noble way in which the mothers of New Zealand had let their sons go to the war, and expressed the opinion that Tjefore any monuments were raised to fallen soldiers their memory should be honoured by making ample provision for those of their aged parents who were left with " a vacant chair at their firesides," and had lost the stay of their declining years. He wound up by calling for three cheers for Troopers Gilligan and Whyte, and the cheers were lustily given. Lieutenant Cameron also delivered a vigorously-patriotic speech, depicting the trials of the New Zealand boys on the veldt, the hardships they underwent, the deeds they accomplished, and said they were all proud of the Taieri boys. Mr John Wright also spoke, and songs ar.d recitations were given by several visitors. Mes«rs de Lautour and Stokes supplied tho music, and dancing was kept up until the " wee short oors ayont the twal."