OTANGIWAI FAREWELL

Taranaki Daily News, 22 July 1935, Page 7

OTANGIWAI FAREWELL

THE RUTHERFORD FAMILY. ; j DISTRICT SHOWS ITS ESTEEM. Over 100 friends of Mr. and Mrs. F. VL Rutherford and Miss M. Rutherford on Wednesday evening gathered in ' the Otangiwai hall to bid them farewell before their departure from Otangiwai. The evening took the form of a dance, for the younger people and flag flve hund£sd tournament and bridge for the: elder people. Mr. O. C. Pleasants on behalf of the people of Otangiwai and Matiere presented Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford with a chiming clock of Enfield walnut. Mr and Mrs. Rutherford were amongst the oldest residents of Otangiwai, haying been well over 20 years in the district, said Mr. Pleasants. They had always been very popular and useful people in both business matters and in the social side of the life of the district. Mr. Rutherford was undoubtedly one of the most successful farmers, the highly productive state of his farm and the way he always topped the markets for his stock in the King Country bearing ample evidence of this. Their hospitality had been frequently experienced, and their retirement from active work was- the result of successful labours. Their loss would be a great one to the district as it would be practically impossible to replace two such successful and energetic settlers, but on behalf of their, friends Mr. Pleasants wished them many years of happiness, prosperity and good health in their retirement. Mr. L. S. Fauchelle also referred to the good qualities of both Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford, who were settlers the district was justly proud of. Coming into the district in the early days of its existence, they had by hard work gained for themselves one of the model farms of the Ohura, and their loss to Otangiwai would be great.. Mr. H. Stoddart said that although he had not known Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford as long as most of the settlers,, he had known they long enough to realise their value and what a loss their departure was going to cause. As a business man Mr. Rutherford was one of the best. Mr. H. Fauchelle presented Miss Mary Rutherford with an xylonite manicure set as a token of the esteem in which she was. held by her friends among the younger people of the district, who would all miss her greatly. Mr. N. Margan also presented Miss Rutherford with a token from her fellow members of the Matiere Basketball Club, .who would greatly miss her. both as a player and as a friend. ■■ Mr | Rutherford thanked all on behalf of his wife, himself and his daughter for the gifts, saying zthat they would always be treasurer as valued mementos of their many friends at Otangiwai and Matiere. They regretted very much leaving such good friends but. would always have pleasant memories of the many happy years they had spent at Otangiwai. As a farmer, he had always endeavoured above all to set an example and to show his fellow settlers that their land was capable of producing as good and even better stock than any. other land. Mr. G. Rutherford thanked the members of the Matiere Basketball Club on behalf of his sister for their presentation. Winners at the flag five hundred tournament were Mrs. L. S. Fauchelle and Messrs. J. Crozier, E. Bishop and W. Raitt with 22 flags after a tie with Mesdames J. Crozier and Luckman and Messrs. J. Bakeweil and E._ Bakewell, who also had 22 flags. Consolation prizes were .won by Mesdames G. Etherington and J. Higgie and Messrs. L. Dunn and J. Cavaney. Mrs. R. Owen the music for the dancing, Mesdames E.. C. Thomas and H. Stoddart contributing extras. Mr. H. Fauchelle was master of ceremonies for the dancing and Mr. C. McDougall conducted the card tournament. A Monte Carlo waltz was won by Mr. and Mrs. A. K. Margan. . .