EX-RESIDENTS OF OTAGO.

Otago Witness, Issue 4006, 23 December 1930, Page 5

EX-RESIDENTS OF OTAGO.

An Otago Club has been formed in Palmerston North, and the first social gathering was held recently, when it was found that the membership has already reached a total of over 100 former residents of this province. One of the functions of the club is to hold monthly meetings of a social nature. At the inaugural meeting the chair was occupied by Mr J. Winton, who stated that the club will fill a long felt want in Palmerston North, where a large number of ex-Otago residents was now living. He wished the club every success, and was supported in this by the vice-president, Mr D. E. Dredge, who expressed great pleasure at the large number of Dunedin faces he could see from the platform. Expressing surprise at the large attendance, the Rev. G. T. Brown stated his belief that there was a great and useful future before the club. The spirit of Otago was wonderful, and he doubted if it had a counterpart in any part of the world. It had been brought home very forcibly to him when he returned to Dunedin after many years’ absence and had experienced the goodfellowship and friendship of the people. He had heard of cases of people from the South Island coming north and making few friendships. This, he said, was particularly noticeable in Palmerston North, where the population was in some respects a floating one. There was a certain lack of cordiality and friendly spirit, which, he was convinced, the Otago Club would prove a valuable means of combating.