VALEDICTORY

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXII, Issue 8873, 17 February 1943, Page 2

VALEDICTORY

COMPANY-LEADER OF WAIHI W.W.S.A. Members of the Waihi branch of the W.W.S.A. met quite informally yesterday week to bid farewell' to their company-leader, Mrs R. M. Spence, who left for Te Kuiti with her husband, Constable G. Spence, the next day. Because of Mrs Spence’s absence in Whangarei for a week before leaving, no social evening could be tendered to her, but the tributes paid were no less sincere on that account. Regretting the necessity that had brought members together, Mrs A. H. Blackmore, district and local chairwoman, described the

qualities necessary in a companyleader, all of which, ,she said, Mrs Spence possessed to a marked degree. Members were losing not only an enthusiastic and efficient officer and capable committee member, but also a friend as well. It was to be hoped that the Te Kuiti W.W.S.A. would make good use of the addition to its ranks. Mrs Blackmore concluded by wishing Mrs Spence all the best for the future, and asked her to accept a pyrex casserole and a handsome pok-er-worked vase as a token of the esteem in which she was held. Mrs L. M. Carlyon endorsed the remarks v made by the chairwoman, and added that in her capacity of division leader she had received excellent co-oper-ation from Mrs Spence and was justly proud of the members on the par-ade-ground. On behalf of the Maori members, Mrs Te Rure spoke feelingly of their happy associations with Mrs Spence. In replying, Mrs Spence thanked the members for the gifts and the previous speakers for their kind remarks. She said that if she had carried out her duties satisfactorily it was in no small measure due to the spirit of comradeship that existed in the auxiliary, and it was with regret that she severed her connections with the Waihi sub-centre as she had been a member since its inception. She would take with her pleasant memories of Waihi’s W.W.S.A. activities. To conclude the function Mrs E. Porter led the Maori members in the farewell song, “Harera.”