OTAGO REUNION AT WAIROA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3084, 23 April 1913, Page 61

OTAGO REUNION AT WAIROA.

Wo lust week published a telegraphic ac-' count of the second animal reunion of exOtago residents held at North Clyde, Wairoa, and now give some personal particulars. Those present were: —Dr and Mrs Somerville, Mr and Mrs Sinclair, Mr and Miss Bowie and Mis Carruthcrs. Mr and Mrs Macdonald, Mr and Mrs E. Kbbitt and Miss Waters, Mr and Mrs Ilaughton, Mr and Mrs Prydc, Mr and Mrs M’Corkindalc, Mr and Mrs Lyall, Mr and Mrs Dawson, Mr and Mrs MacPhail, Mr and Mrs A. C. Black and Miss Bateman, Mr and Mrs Sumrnerfiold, Captain and Mrs Knight, Me&dames Falconer and Anderson, Miss Graham, Mr and Mrs Blair. Mr and Mrs P. Cram, Miss Knight, Miss Tomkins, Messrs Dees, Mayo, South, Stewart. Drysdalo, Argue, Mackenzie, Tolmie, Mowat, MTlae, its I her, Gatfield, and L. M‘lC in non. Dr Somerville, president of the committee, was in the chair. Mr John Macdonald read the messages forwarded and apologies for not lieing able to bo present. After full justice had been done to the dinner prepared by Mr D. 0. Thomas, the Chairman said lie was pleased to see such a large gathering of old Otago people, and among them Mr George Mayo, representing the early pioneers, and one who could go hack farther than any of those present. He was also pleased to see the younger element so well represented. Otago was the home of many of those present, and they wore proud of it, Dunedin representing the Scottish clemegit of Now Zealand. At all events, having come from there, they got credit for being Scotch, and rightly so, ns Otago had been peopled by the descendants of Scottish people —and. at all events, the country in the south looked more like Scotland than any part of the North Island. He ventured to sav if any of the Ofagoans visited Hawke’s Bay. for instance, during the recent heat, spell they would not think it looked very Scotch,—(Laughter.) Quite a large number of southerners were now coming to the North Island, and he did not know whether that was due to their cannv nature in picking out good things, or whether it was, as some had said, that they could not stav in Otago any longer. -(Lane-liter.) Anyhow, they were taking the pick of this part of the island. Otago was making progress—steadily, but still surely—without booming one dav and going to pieces the next day, like Wairoa. —(Laughter.) This was due in

the case of Otagoans to the steadiness of the national character. Concluding, he welcomed the visitors—strangers in the land, — and said he felt sure they would receive as much hospitality in Wairoa as in any part of Otago. He hoped they would finish up the evening’s function as 'well as they had. begun.—(Applause.) The hall was then cleared, and the bulk of those present engaged in da/icing till an early hour next morning, the music being supplied by Mr Gatfield, of Frasertown.