ANNUAL CALEDONIAN BALL

Southland Times, Issue 24011, 29 December 1939, Page 7

ANNUAL CALEDONIAN BALL

BALFOUR AND LONGRIDGE SOCIETY The annual ball of the Balfour and Longridge Caledonian Society was held in the Balfour Hall on Boxing night, and was again one of the season s most enjoyable social functions. Visitors were present from all parts of the district. Mr A. .Liddell was master of ceremonies. Among those present were: The president of the society, Mr J. N. Alexander and Mrs Alexander, Mr and Mrs A Orr, Mr and Mrs P. Scott (Freshford), Mr and Mrs L. F. Fraser, Mr and Mrs P. W. McDonald, Mr and Mrs J. O’Shea, Mr and Mrs Muirson (Invercargill), Mr and Mrs E. Edgar, Mr and Mrs A. Stephen (Saddle Hill), Mr and Mrs H. J. Horrell. Mesdames G. Grant, P. Hailes, A. Stewart (Dunkeld), Rogers (Dunedin), Wootton (Christchurch) and A. StewMisses H. Stevens, E. Davis, E. Rasmussen, R. Herron, L. Baird, S. Keown (Christchurch), N. Keown (Wendou), N. Cromie, K. Dillon (Riversdale), A. Kelly, V. Dillon (Riversdale), L. Pumpa, S. Proctor, D. Scobie, M. Dillon (Riversdale), Hamer (Dunedin), T. Alexander, E. Frame, V. Joyce, S McCartney, K. Joyce, M. Dale, L. Bennett, A. Dale, M. McGregor, B. Alexander (St. Andrews) and G. Cowie. Messrs E. W. Stevens, L. D. Magee (Nightcaps), J. Mulqueen (Wellington). A. Liddell, P. Mulqueen, W. Liddell, D. Mulqueen, E. Orr, W. Lindley (Gore), D. Higgins, F. Fraser (Gore), O. Gardiner (Riversdale), E. Green (Riversdale), N. Shallard (Kaweku), G. Keown, L. Liddell, L. Orr, J. McMath (Dunedin), W. Rutter, R. Orr, J. George, S. Grant, R. L. Grant, R. Herron, N. Hickey, D. Grant, S. Baird, W. Stevens, S. Davis, J. Davis, D. McGregor, J. Dwyer, P. Muir, A. J. Richards, J. Muir, J. Oliver, E. Bulmore, A. Muir, D. Lamb, R. Campbell (Riversdale), C. Davis, J. Davis, J. McPherson (Riversdale), G. Davis, W. Hanlon (Christchurch), G. N. Kelly (Oamaru), Fisken (Otama), J. Cromie (Waimahaka), L. Sutherland, W. Keown, R. S. Edgar, E. Greer, C. Herron, A. Lamb, O. Pumpa, L. Pringle, Butson, Graham (Knapdale), J. McCartney, R. Wootton (Christchurch), F. McCartney, D. Casey, J. Liddell, J. McPherson, jun. (Riversdale), D McLean, E. Hall (Riversdale), P. J. Mulqueen, P. Nossiter, J. Stevens, J. R. Keown, L. Mulqueen, C. Hickey, D. M. Alexander.

MISS HILDA WILLIAMS 0.8. E.

At her flat, “Westmore,” Gloucester street west, Christchurch, Miss Hilda Temple Williams, 0.8. E., a member of one of the best-known families in New Zealand, died on Tuesday afternoon after an illness of several weeks. The news of her death will be received with profound regret, not only by personal friends and friends of her family, but in all parts of the Dominion by thousands of returned soldiers, whom she befriended during the Great War.

Miss Williams was a daughter of the late Mr and Mrs T. C. Williams, of Wellington, and granddaughter of Archdeacon Henry Williams, who arrived in New Zealand in the Brampton in 1823, and who settled at Paihia, Bay of Islands. There Miss Williams's father was bom in 1825. Later he lived for a time in Auckland, and then made his home in Wellington. Miss Williams was bom at Lower Hutt, and-educated at Mrs Swainson’s private school. She went to England in 1913, and after the outbreak of war she was quick to realize the loneliness and friendlessness of New Zealand soldiers., who arrived in London from Gallipoli and Egypt. Her ready sympathy was aroused, and was immediately translated into useful action, though she had some difficulty in persuading the military authorities of the necessity for the scheme she had evolved. She established the first canteen in England for New Zealanders. It was known as “The Dug Out,” and was situated in Victoria street, London. It was financed entirely by the Williams family. Later she established “Te Whare Puni,” a popular canteen at Hornchurch, for men from the Dominion. This was staffed by members of her family and their friends. The value of her work was soon recognized, and in 1918 the King conferred on her the decoration of the Order of the British Empire. Miss Williams was also much interested in fitting up limbless soldiers in the earlier years of the war. She returned to New Zealand several years ago, and for the last six years she lived in Christchurch, where she had many friends.