Nelson

New Zealand Tablet, 21 January 1915, Page 27

Nelson

(From an Occasional Correspondent.)

On January sth the children of St. Mary’s Orphanages boys and girls— the number of about 120, went for their annual picnic to the Peninsula, near, the Maori Pah. Usually the children go for their annual outing by train, but his year, thanks to the generosity and thoughtful kindness of the late Mr Gargaio, who left £25 for a picnic for the orhpans, they were able to have a special treata drive of about 34 miles in a motor or drag. About 8.33 o’clock motor cars, motor lorries, and drags left the Convent, crowded with happy children, who sang alternately hymns and songs. The weather was somewhat threatening in the morning, but, beyond a slight shower, no rain fell, and the day being beautifully cool, races, games and sports were keenly indulged in. One feature specially enjoyed by the children was that they were all able to paddle in the sea, whilst older ones were allowed to bathe in it. The spot is in every way an ideal one for a picnic, and the children seemed never to have had a more enjoyable day. About 11.30 o’clock Rev. Fathers Ainsworth, Finnerty, Hurley and Cullen, arrived in their motor car, and devoted themselves for the remainder of the day to providing for the children’s amusement. At about five o’clock Rev. Father Finnerty, who had been a most active organiser of sports and races, distributed the prizes, and a noticeable feature of the distribution was that each child received a prize. At six o ’clock a start was made on the return journey. The older children sang all the way, whilst little ones were fast asleep, and happily trustful, regardless pf the dangers of motor cars.