OTARA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3247, 7 June 1916, Page 31

OTARA.

June fi. —The past week has been very cold—in fact, unusually so for this part of the world; and the weather seems to point to a long winter. The road metalling has just about come to an end for this year, and not before time, as the roads oyer which the metal was carted were beginning to get cut up. There is now a fine metalled road all the way to Tokanui, our nearest station. Farewell Social. —Miss Currie, who has been assistant at this school for the last three years, and who has just lately been appointed assistant at Gummy’s Bush, was tendered a farewell social by the people of the district. If numbers are any criterion, Miss Currie’s popularity must have been very great indeed, as the building was more than full, a number having to stand outside. Mr M‘Cal mar made a very efficient chairman, and a long programme was put through. Speeches were then made by the. chairman, who in his remarks referred to the distance (six miles) Miss Currie had to ride to school, and on several occasions he had seen her pass when he considered it too rough for any woman to bo out; Mr Gao. Jennings, who referred to Miss Currie’s splendid work in the school; Mr Maloney, who, as an outsider, asked permission to say a few words, and who described Miss Currie as a model young lady. Mr Richard Jennings, on behalf of the-people of the district, presented Miss Currie with a gold wristlet watch and a fountain pen, and in his remarks referred to the manner in which that lady had brought the mail from Fortrosc, practically giving a groat number of the people a daily mail. Miss Currie replied at some length, after which “Auld iang syne” was sung and three cheers were given for the guest of the evening. The Chairman then called for three cheers for Mr and Mrs Currie, who, he-said, had just lately sent their only son, a lad of 20, to bo trained for the front. These were lustily given, after which the floor was cleared for the dance, thus ending one of the most successful social functions held in the district. On the last day of Miss Currie’s work at the school the children invited their parents to be present, and, after physical exercises, songs, and recitations, one of their number, Grace Blair, in a touching little speech, presented Miss Currie with a travelling rug. The recipient suitably replied, dwelling on the pleasure she had in teaching them, and wishing them a successful school career. After this the children handed round afternoon tea, and made themselves generally useful. The Supreme Sacrifice.—Of our young men who left here for the front, we have just received word of our first casualty. John Casey, a fine young fallow, who left with the Main Force, ami died in France of pneumonia. He went through the Gallipoli campaign, was wounded, but afterwards rejoined the forces. Much sympathy is felt for Mr and Mrs Casey, who have two other sons now in France. Shooting Season. —On the first day of the shooting season a number of sports sot out duck-shooting, but no big bags were obtained, the ducks proving unusually timid. One would almost think that they had been shot at prior to the shooting season. There are plenty of them about, but it takes a good deal of manoeuvring to get within range.