Town and Country News

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LI, Issue 49, 10 December 1924, Page 13

Town and Country News

NAPIER

(From our own. Correspondent.) November 24. In the Railway Social Hall, recently, there took place a very pleasant little function, the occasion being a presentation to Mr, M. McGrath on his retirement from the service, with which he has been connected for the past forty-one years. Mr. McGrath is an old Duucdinite, having joined the service in that town in 1882. In 1883 he was transferred to Grey mouth where he stayed nine years. He was next transferred to the North Island, his destination being Wanganui, and in 1893 he was shifted to this town where he has stayed ever since. He is known in many parts of New Zealand and was always thought highly of and was greatly esteemed by all his working fellows. During the evening Mr. McGrath was made the recipient of a valuable Morris chair, the presentation being made by Mr. J. J. Fahey, of Port Ahuriri, in the absence of Air. G. G. Bryce, the local foreman. A Doulton rose bowl was also presented for Airs. AlcGrath. Air. J. Clarke marked the occasion with a short speech, in which he referred to the many pleasant associations of his and many others, with the guest of the evening. Air. E. Bolt (conger) also had a few words to say on Air. AlcGrath’s sterling qualities. The remainder of the evening was pleasantly spent in song and story, the contributors of these being Messrs. J. Clarke, C. Dunn, J. Foster. The pianist was Alr.P. Scott. The devotion of the Forty Hours’ Adoration commenced here last Friday morning and came to a close on Sunday afternoon. During the course of the Forty Hours’ sermons were preached by Rev, Father Seymour, of Green meadows Seminary. Recently the Hibernians of Hastings were the guests to a- social evening in St. Patrick’s Hall given by the Napier branch of that society. The evening was opened with a card tournament in which Napier was victorious, winning 18 games to 16. Songs were given by Bros. W. P. Harris, AI. Daly, J. Barry, and R. Jeffers, of Napier, while Bro. T. Liddel, of Napier, delighted his listeners with numerous witty anecdotes. Alany of the Hastings brothers gave items, including some stirring Irish songs by Bro. Doyle. A toast list was honored, and altogether it was a very happy and enjoyable evening for all concerned. We here notice while following the doings of the All-Blacks over-seas, that our friends Jimmy Alill and Alorry Brownlie are always in the picture. There’s no getting away from the fact that these “Tykes” are hard men to keep down, especially Alorry, who, as he can show a six foot frame and packs close on list 7, makes an unassuming little opponent feel as cheerful as an iceberg. But it is really hard to follow the boys and their deeds, if all we have to go by are the meagre reports in the papers. The moving picture of the Devon match is at present showing in Napier, and is really worth while going to see on its own.

The “boys” commence with the “haka,” and it is hard to see the reasons for objecting to this custom as already shown by some of our high-browed English critics. Then comes the time when Svenson scores the first try of the tour, it was a real “slasher” and spectacular wasn’t the word. <><>