Warea.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 12926, 3 August 1905, Page 8

Warea.

BANQUET TO MR H. J. YAMNTINE \ (JJ'rom Our Own Correspondent.) On Friday, 28th inst., Warea took a new departure. Hitherto farewells to prominent settlers when leaving have consisted of socials from the ladies and smoke concerts from the males, but on this occasion "fche proceedings were extended to the regulation banquet. The ability to do this was through the kindness of Mrs T. Julian and her daughters and •daugh-ters-in-law, backed by iheir skill in culinary affairs. On Friday night tables were laid in a most recherche manner, awd well deserved the numerous ecomiums which were freely given by various speakers. After the usual loyal and patriotic toasts "The Volunteers," which should have been responded to by Mr Dobbin, an old contingenter, who, however he may have faced the Boers, could not be induced to overcome his bashfulness, unearthed two old Christohurch City Guardsmen —Mr Boyce and Mr Jas. J. Elwin— who gave interesting statements of tho volunteer movement, the one of tha modern cadet corps, the other dating experience back to the early Maori troubles. Mr Burgess, who, as president of the Cricket Club, presided, | gave the toast of the evening, speaning of the guest as the father of cricket in Warea. In a few well chosen words he also referred to Mr Valintine's usefulness and the benefit the district had received during his so-« journ in Warea |or the past seven years. On behalf of the Club Mr Burgess then presented him with &. handsome travelling bag. Mr Jas. J. Elwin, Chairman of ihe local branch oi the N.Z.F.U., occupied'the vice chair, and spoke of the numerical benefit tho branch had derived from Mr Valiutine's service. He hoped every future success would attend Mr Valintine and his famdly, and that another district would receive the benefit of his public spirittdness. On behalf of the Warea branch, Mr Elwin presented a case of four 9ilver-mounted pipes. Mr H. Corbett and Mr W. McLachlan also spoke to the toast, to which, it hay; ing been duly honoured, Mr Valintim briefly responded, thanking all' present — not only for the handsome memento of his stay in Warea, but also for the very capital banquet which had been tendered. The vice chairman gave the toast of the Cricket Club, raying th-at there »was an insect which the moro its limbs were dismembered the inoro it flourished. The club had lost its Foot, its secretary, the tail, and now was losing its head, but Jie believed the club woxild replace its members and progress in a way undreamed of •hitherto. 'Mr A. Corbett, • the i\ev> secretary,, replied. The Farjners' Union was proposed by Mr Burgess, and replied lo by Messrs Elwin and McLachlau, all urging all interested in the working of laml to be univted at tho next olection, so as to ensure success for the farmers in ihe forthcoming contest. Mr Boyce proposed " The Dairying Industry/ 1 ' and Messrs H. Corbett ' and W. McLachlan replied. Mr 11. Rothery gave "Local Bodies," and Mr ; Burgess replied, siating that for years i he had kept out of local matters, but since he had entered public life he saw little chance of leaving it. Mr Burgess proposed "Commercial Interests," to which Mr C. H. King replied. Mr McLachlan proposed "Local Tn'dusS trios." Mr Rothery replied, and re- } cited a humourous poem showing the ', effect of Okato sausages on ihe birthrate. Mr J. Scott also responded, inrtiimaling that he had started on his= "old trade as a bootmaker in the dis- , trict. Mr Elwin, as the father of many, proposed the ladies, coupled .with -ibhe names of Messrs Bruce ►Anderson, J. Leedom, and Rothery, but the adolescent" modesty of the two former prevented a reply, the onus being left to Mr Rothery, who was fully equal to the occasion. "Thf Pressi" was proposed by the Chairman, who brought prominently out the benefit thevdistrict had received from the publication of its doings in the Taranaki Hjerald. stating thai whereever he wandered — whether to Palmerston, Wellington, or. elsewhere, Warea was known and its people were respected as fighiing men protesting for their rights. Mr Elwin -.riefly replied, stating the kindness he had always received from the' proprietor of thr^ Herald and the recognition he had received from him- from time to time. During the ; evening Mr W. Larking- sang "They made tilings hum," Mr Jeken Elwin "The grasp of a friendly hand," Mr Scott "Teaching McPheo to dance," Mr Paterson"*' Close Enough," "I shifted lowetf down," and "The One Armed Sailor.'',, Mr | Rea "There's a girl wanted thcro," and "Fancy I'm off the oarth" (both receiving well-merited encores )i, Mr -C. IT. King " There's a tavern in the town" (encore), Mr J. Lcedom ''Freddy Archer." Mr Scoit also gave an exhibition of "human castanets" and J a stbptiance. Conviviality was kept j

up to an early hour, to be resumed, a . Mr McLachlan put it, at Mr Valin tine's sale on Monday, 31st, at his expense. On Saturday, 22nd, the Okato tear. oi footballers journeyed to Waroa. and tried conclusions successfully wit:, the local team, boating 'them by (i points to 3.. Afterwards ihe visitor* were entertained at Warea in a cap ital manner, the refreshments bein.. undertaken by Mesdames Julian. Ii was then: first effort in this direction, • and proved that in future Warea wil be 'able to do its own catering with-out-outside assistance.