OLD IDENTITIES

Southland Times, Issue 20201, 11 June 1927, Page 4

OLD IDENTITIES

MEETING AT GORE. The quarterly meeting of the Gore and Surrounding Districts Early Settlers’ Associ- ( ation was held on Thursday evening. There was a good attendance of members. Mr. D. L. Poppelwell (president), in exi tending a cordial welcome to those present, said he was pleased to see so many of I the elder generation of pioneers present. It was well that they should meet to re- ; new old acquaintances and friendships, and talk over the old days that were dear to ; them all. He referred to the pamphlet recently published by the association as a splendid record of the papers read on the doings of the early settlers. He recom- | mended it to every member of the association. They all wanted a strong and healthy association, to be a centre where social intercourse could take place and where they ! could put on record the experiences of the i pioneers of the district. j Mr. W. Baker, vice-president, then took ’ the chair, and Mr Poppelwell read a paper entitled “A Pioneer Story.” The paper, dealt mainly with the speaker’s forebears and early pioneering days. Mr Poppelwell’s father arrived in New Zealand in 1840, and remained until his death in 1887. Between those dates an interesting story of j pioneering was recorded. The scene of activ- ■ ities was chiefly in the Tokomairiro district. | At a later stage, Mr. W. A. McCaw (In- | vercargill j exhibited about 40 coloured lantern slides of New Zealand native flowers, . Mr. Poppelwell briefly described each pici ture. He said nearly every one of the ' flowers was to be found in the district and lin the Croydon bush. It was intended, he i said, that a number of enamelled brooches I should be made from the association’s de- ■ sign. j At the conclusion of the lectures a hearty I vote of thanks was accorded Mr Poppelwell for his interesting work, to Mr McCaw for his services as lantern director and to Mrs Shrimpton, Miss M. Ross and Mr R. L, Stevenson for songs rendered during the evening, Messrs A. iMartin and D. McDougall voicing the appreciation of those present for the pleasant evening spent. Mr Poppelwell also read a couple of letters from Mr B. Oxley, of California, relative to his experiences in Gore and district during the late ’7o’s and early ’Bo’s.