ST. MARY'S LITERARY AND SOCIAL CLUB, MILTON

New Zealand Tablet, Volume 40, Issue 40, 1 October 1903, Page 6

ST. MARY'S LITERARY AND SOCIAL CLUB, MILTON

The winter session of the above Club was brought to a close on Friday evening last, the final meeting taking the form of a social gathering which was attended by a very large number of members and their friends. A very enjoyable musical programme had been provided, to which the following contributed -—Misses Scanlan, Coleman, and Hannify, and Messrs. W. Kirby, T. Leaven, M. O'Connell, and J. A. Scott. The programme concluded with a short amateur Christy minstrel performance, the dusky ' circle ' consisting of the following : — Messrs. J. Waxd, M. O'Connell, J. Hand, M. Lynch, E. G-ornall, and J. Lynch (interlocutor). Considering that the whole affair had been got up within a week the effort was a distinct success, and the performers showed clearly (says the ' Bruce Herald ') that they had undoubted capacity in the fun-making line. Some of the local hits were very good, and the whole performance received from the audience the generous appreciation which it undoubtedly deserved. In the short interval which followed, a pleasing function took place m the shape of a presentation to Mr. J. A.. Scott, vice-president of the Club. Mr. W. Kirby, ■ecretary, explained that the idea of marking their appreciation of Mr. Scott's services had been spontaneously and enthusiastically taken up by the members of the Club, and on their behalf he read and presented, to Mr. Scott a beautifully-illuminated address couched in the following terms :— To Mr.'J. A. Scott, M.A. Dear Mr. Scott,— We, the members of St. Mary's Literary and Social Club, Milton, desire at the end of the session 1903, to give expression to our very great appreciation of your unremitting attention and keen interest in our welfare The success tuat has so far attended our efforts at mental improvement is largely dxie to your kindly watchfulness and fostering care. Whilst regretting the close of this year's pleasant work we trust we shall again ha\e the happiness of your presence amongst us at some future date to renew the cordial relations that have existed between us. Meanwhile, we beg your acceptance of the accompanying little token of our goodwill and fervent wishes for your prosperity and happiness in the future. Signed, on behalf of the Club, J. O'Neill, President. W. Kirby, Secretary. The Very Rev. Father O'Neill said that before Mr Scott replied he would like to be allowed to take a hand When the young men had come to him with the proposal to make a presentation to Mr. Scott he had been only too delighted to give the matter his hearty support. Mr Scott, although not residing in Milton, had managed to be present at practically every meeting of the Club, and he had often been able to accomplish this only at considerable personal inconvenience. Of the value of his services to the Club he could not speak too highly, and ho was greatly pleased that the members had appreciated his work m the way it deserved On behalf of the Club he had pleasure in presenting Mr. Scott with a purse of sovereigns, the accompanying little token referred to in the address, and in doing so he echoed the hope that had been already expressed, that Mr. Scott would still keep in touch with Milton, and that they would continue to have his assistance and co-operation for many sessions to come Mr. Scott, who until that night had not the faintest hint of what was coming, replied with a good deal of feeling. He said the immediate effect of their unexpected kindness was to make him feel how much better he might have done the work he had tried to do, and how very far he was from having deserved the recognition they had given him. He could not help becoming attached to any society or body of people with whom it was his lot to be

actively coainected, and he was really pleased to have the address as a beautiful souvenir of his connection with the Club as its first vice-president. As to the very handsome additional! present which they had given him he could only say tthat he had done nothing whatever to deserve it, and it was altogether too good of them to think of suoh a thing. He could only hope that if it was his good fortune to be with them in future sessions he would have the opportunity of making some soft of return for their kwidness. He was glad that the session just /ended had been so successful, and he was particularly pleased to notice the improvement which the younger members were making in debating, reading, essay writing, etc., but the success achieved had been due far more to the hearty loyal support he had received than to any special effort of his own. All he could claim to have done was to have attended regularly and taken an active interest in every subject brought before the Club. Any member could do ithat, and if all the .members attended to those two points the Club must be a success. He thanked them most sincerely for their kinds gifts and wished)' the Club the greatest possible measure of prosperity and success. The good 'om chorus, ' For he's a jolly good fellow,' was then lustily taken up, and the presentation function was brought to a happy termination by three hearty cheers for Mr. Scott. Refreshments were then handed round, and some time later the meeting broke up, the general verdict being that the gathering had proved a successful close to the most successful session the Club has yet had.