MENZIES FERRY

Southland Times, Issue 23945, 11 October 1939, Page 11

MENZIES FERRY

FAREWELL SOCIAL EVENING

There was a large attendance at the Menzies Ferry Hall when the residents of the district, along with other friends, gave Mr and Mrs John Fenton a social evening and presentation on their retirement from the district to live in Wyndham. Mr Fenton settled at Menzies Ferry 34 years ago, being one of the first settlers on the flat, and in the intervening years, through hard work and progressive methods,' considerably added to his original holding. The time was passed in dancing, interspersed with musical and elocutionary items. For dancing the music was supplied by Messrs F. McDonald and McElhinney, with extras by Mr W. Sinclair. Messrs W. Gregory and D. Henderson were masters of ceremonies. Items were given by Messrs D. N. A. Macpherson, Paterson .(Mataura), Miss D. Weir (Seaward Downs), and Master J. Caldwell.

Mr A. M. Weir, on behalf of the gathering expressed congratulations to the guests of the evening on the step they were taking and wished them much enjoyment in their retirement. Mr Fenton, he said, had arrived in New Zealand from Ireland 48 years ago, and like most folk from that land had made good. He was known as a great worker, and a worthy citizen in every way. After 34 years of active farming at the Ferry he had now reached the stage when he could retire. Although Mr Fenton was always a busy man, he had been an ideal neighbour, and was always ready to help those who needed and deserved help. The speaker then presented Mr Fenton with a gold chain and electric reading lamp, and Mr and Mrs Fenton with a pair of fireside chairs. Mr D. E. Caldwell said he could claim to have known Mr Fenton longer than anyone in the Menzies Ferry district, and he had also been associated with him on the factory directorate since it was taken over from the Edendale company, Mr Fenton being appointed one of the provisional directors to negotiate with the Edendale directors in the purchase of the factory. No one had done more than their guest in lending his neighbours a helping hand, and being a worker no one deserved his success more.

Mr J. H. Henderson referred to the part Mr Fenton had played in helping the factory, during the time of the influenza epidemic in 1918. Other speakers were' Messrs O’Neill, T. W. McGillivray, H. 'Gibb and J. Hunter. - '

Miss Jean Henderson, on behalf of the local tennis club, asked Miss P. Patter-

son to accept a small gift from the members as a token of their esteem.

Mr Fenton replied on behalf of his wife and himself, and Miss Patterson thanked the tennis members.

Among those present were: Mr and Mrs J. Fenton, Mr and Mrs J. Henderson, Mr and Mrs W. Gregory, Mr and Mrs A. Fenton, Mr and Mrs W. Johnston, Mr and Mrs B. Bennie, Mr and Mrs T. W. McGillivray, Mr and Mrs W. King, Mr and Mrs W. King, Mr and Mrs W. Bulling, Mr and Mrs J. Winter, Mr and Mrs A. M. Weir, Mr and Mrs D. E. Caldwell, Mr and Mrs H. Gibb, Mr and Mrs W. Rule; Mesdames Shields, Ross, O’Neill, and Hallman; Misses Newman, Patterson, Todd, Johnston (2), Sinclair (2), Hallman, D. Weir, I. Gregory, Crosbie (3), D. Ross, K. Laidlaw, Dobbie (3), Mawdsley, Preston, G. Gaw, A. Weir, I. Winter, J. Henderson, F. McGillivray, Donnelly, Shield; Messrs J. Hunter, Crosbie (3), V. Foxon, Johnston, Laurie, A. P. Gibson, D. N. A. Macpherson, W. Sinclair, W. Baird, W. Hill, O’Neill (2), Sinclair (3), Winter (3), R. : Evans, Wylie (2), R. Withey, Siltbri, : J. Heath, Weir, I. Herbert, D. Henderson, Morton, Lemon, W. Crighton, L. Milne, W. Stirling, A. Clarke, E. Agnew,'Ford, A. Ericson, Stewart (2), Symons, J. Williams, P. McEwan, Shield.