SOCIALS TO RETURNED TROUPERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2529, 3 September 1902, Page 28

SOCIALS TO RETURNED TROUPERS.

£?EAfcll£Ms

A mo<?t enjoyable and »uccc?«{t»l »*s«#S, g4*<ift. by the Cannibal Bay and (iit-nom»rti *«s*cieuts, was held at Seafieid on the erenit^g at Monday, the 25th tilt., when Trooper* J. Laughton, of the Eighth Contingent, and A. J. Campbell, of the Seventh Contingent, were the recipients of gold Maltese crosses. Mr Weir, missionary tor the district, in maldng the presentations, said: Dear friends. I have much! pleasure in being present with you to-night, and by request to act as spokesman for "iha " company, to offer you the right hand of wel- " cczae tio the district^ your homes, and t& your? friends; and further, as love, gratitude, and! joy always manifest themselves in actions, this i 3 no exception to the rule, and in ik&. name of the present company and well-" wishers, and as » token of their gratitude for' your safe return aad your willingness to go> even to the battlefield in defence o£ your King and country, I have much pleasure in present- * ing you, Mr Laughton, with this beautiful! memento ; also the same to you, Mr Camobel>.

Trooper Campbell acknowledged the gift by Baying . Ladies and gentterasa, this & the first occasion on which it .has fallen to my lot toy face an audience of friends, and I trust thatyon will forgive my shortcomings. There i» no use in me giving you any account of what we have done in South Africa, as you wpuidt always see the full details in the newspapers. I thank you for your good wishes and handsome present. I really cannot see how I an* in any way worthy of it. When at the front I only did my duty, and that is what is expected of every soldier. There is another duty that I owe the donors of this beautiful present, and that is that I will treasure your esteemed present as long as I am Epared to do bo. I thank voii all.

Trooper l/.iughton replied, thanking them all for &uch a generous and much-valued present. Mr Campbell, of Settfield, father of TroopeJ Csrapbell, 2 av <> a short speech, and said: After the many kind ■expreesiona that hnvo bseai offered to our returned soldiers tiicro is littLe left for me to sny, raid I doubt if I con to much as add ana ray of sunshine to what h*B been already saidi by the different speaiois. The reception which they have met with to-night indicates your appreciation of those qualifications thr i go to make the nwui a. soldier; the warm greetings given them show that it means moi* thin mere surface measurement — that we can. ali recogaise the spirit of endurance as we L t's a spirit cf deterrrrinatior. And it j» vritlt prido and ple-asurc that wo etui refer to th* differanfc contingents that left New Zealand to fight for King and Empire in South AfricaAH of them have been in light corners ore many occasions^, but oni of them they issued hs wath flags flying and sails set. "When thehisiory of their doings i 3 public property, and iv the hands of young and old aliks, I c.t i fancy {-hern, roused to enthusiasm a-nd patr^c - s«rn. In the words, of an old Scotch pcliticin. . vied in referring to Iris countrymen, allow ico to say of New Zealanders: "Even if their eye* were dulled with the languor r>f intellectual! vacuity, their eyer would sparkle with fire, which" for the mojfient might thiow their friends in doubt of their idsntity." 3jr.die9 and gentlemen, I will come to the point which brought me to my feet — that la. to thank you alt, and that from the bottom of my heart, foi youi good wishes, kind words, and handsome present on behalf of my so:i. I c«n assure you that you have to-ni^ht pla«ed mo imd-er a debt of gratitude that will require alifetime to liquidate; and, in the words of our immortal Burma,

' May the time come, as come it will, When man to n:nn, the v/<yrld o'er

Shall brothers be, ai:d a' that."

C'o*.e on 40 people from the surrounding? oi'rt.ricts were present. Tea and cakes in. abundance were handed round during the evening by Mrs Wilson lenomarn), Mrs Harrison (Cannibal Bay), Mrs Abexnethy (Romalmpa), and Mr 3 Campbell (Seafield). The rest of the night was spentin games, singing, etc. Mc3srs Harrison ond Wilson, (violin) and the Misses Campbell (piano) supplied the musical items. After singing "Auld! r lang syu.s" tho company set out for their homes, all satisfied with the night's enjoyment.

MOONLIGHT.

On Friday, 22nd ult., » social "was heJd in the Moonlight Sclioolroom to welcome horn« Troopers Harcua and Roy. A<s the Macraes , people who weze to assist in the programme* did not arrive till late, the concert was. pro- .- tracted till the fair sex manifested eigns of 4 impatience. Mr Fianie, in opening the concert, congratulated the troopers on their safe return, and extended to them the welcome o2 Moonlight and Macraes. The troopers briefly replied, and the concert vrss proceeded -with, , the following Moonlighters performing : — Miaa West, Messrs M'Fadyen, Fraser, and Finnic, £j assisted by the Slucraes party— llesdomev ' Phelan. and Eggers, Misses Caliery, Chalmers,, and Arlieige, and Messrs Kinvig, Phelan, Griffin, sen., Elsom, artd J. Griffin. At tns close » hearty vote of thanks w» accorded to Mi*a W«Bt (for the use of ber- piano, and also to all the performers, and the concert broke up with cheers for the chairman and trooper* and the singing or "They are jolly good fellows." A dance followed, in which Mr «». Peddle made an efficient M.C. Music -waa supplied by Mr Phelan and Mr "W. G. Griffin.

An extract from a letter received from France, by a Timaru resident throws some light on the frequent cable messages with! rogard to tho religious unrest ha that country. The writer says that the Government are closing a great many of the- schools kepti up by reKgious orders, and adds: The boys of the better classes, who mostly attend! them, are certainly taught in every way to oppose and despise tbe existing Government,, and that must be a serious grievance, as they all later on have to enter the army. lv reference to the proposed tour of t)& Old Country by a New Zealand band,, Lieutenant Herd has had several offers fromf London firms of full sets of band instrtt« monts for the use of the band whilst on) tour One firm (says the New Zealand Times) offers to lend a set o£ electro-plated! instrument*, which, if accepted, will be senta out from Home, so that # the members can use them for practice before leavinsr tb.4