SCOTS GATHERING

Taranaki Daily News, 3 September 1935, Page 8

SCOTS GATHERING

REUNION AT STRATFORD. PAPER ON HUMOUR OF THE RACE. A memorable evening was spent by about 50 Stratford Scots last night, when the Taranaki Provincial Scottish Society held its first reunion at Mr. T. Smith’s tearooms. The reunion was an informal social and supper, and led by the chief,’ Mr. W. L. Kennedy, the gathering spent an enjoyable two or three hours listening to and singing “the auld Scots songs” and telling Scots jokes and stories. The chief read a paper on Scottish humour in which he quoted many apt examples of the national sense of humour.

Welcoming the guests, the ’ chief expressed his hope that the evening wis to be a happy augury for the future of the society. It •he’ recently been in very low water and he felt that there was a danger of the younger generation forgetting the glorious traditions of and pride, in its race. It was very important that those traditions should .not be lost, that the descendants of the Scots of old should not forget the cost of the religious and civil liberty that was now enjoyed. It had been said that the Scots had no sense of humour, said Mr. Kennedy. That was undoubtedly a gross libel. There were surely no others who so delighted in jokes against themselves as Scotsmen. It had actually been suggested that there existed at Aberdeen a modern factory for the manufacture of Aberdonian jokes! Songs were contributed as follows:— “Jock O’Hazeldean” and “The Auld Hoose,” Miss Lunam; “Danny Boy” and “By the Waters of Minnetonka,” Miss McCormick; “Mary of Argye” and “Annie. Laurie,” Mrs. Joblin.

PERSONAL ITEMS. Sympathy with the relatives of the late Mr. J. Craigie, Timaru, father of Mrs. R. Kennedy, Tahora, was expressed at a gathering of Stratford Scots last night.' The late Mr. Craigie was a friend to every Scot and every Scottish society, said Mr. T. Smith, vice-president of the Taranaki Provincial Scottish Society, and he was Well known and respected at Stratford, which he had visited on two or three occasions to give “the immortal memory.” The Rev. H. Spencer, Eltham, is spending a fortnight at New Plymouth and Waitara on home mission deputation work. • j Eleven Inches of Rain. That nearly 11 inches of rain fell at Stratford during August, bringing v the total for this year so far to 80.60 inches, is shown by tne statistics supplied by Mr. A. W. Burrell. Over the eight months of this year the average rainfall has been 10 inches per month. Rain fell on 16 days in August and the total of 10.87 inches is well ahead of that for August, 1934, 7.69 inches. The heaviest falls were on August 4 (2.08 inches), August 6 (1.10), August 13 (1.54), and August 16 (1.68). Mr. C. A. Marhant, Cardiff, Government nominee on the Dairy Board, left yesterday on a short visit to Wellington. The Hon. R. Masters, Minister of Industries and Commerce, who has beep spending a few days at his home at Stratford, will leave for Wellington this morning. Mr. and Mrs. Coxhead, Whangamomona were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Wallace, Tututawa, during the week-end. ADVERTISERS’ ANNOUNCEMENTS. Mr. M. McDonald, land agent, Stratford, has a cheap farm on his books for sale or exchange.