Otane-cum-Pukehou, cum-Elsthorpe.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume V, Issue 12, 1 June 1915, Page 152

Otane-cum-Pukehou, cum-Elsthorpe.

Vicar: Rev. Q. W. Davidson. The great effort to reduce the parish debts resulted in the good round sum of £434 being raised — £76 by the Ladies' Bazaar, carried on most successfully by Mrs Davidson and a number of enthusiastic assistants — parishioners from far a/nd near doing 1 what they could. Of course the wai* calls made a very great difference, and the side shows were not patronised as they deserved, or as they would 1 ha-ve been had there been more money about 1 . The sheep sale, so enthusiastically run by Mr Douglas Williams, resulted .in the goodly sum of £i3'sß and we were fortunate to seU just immediately before there was a big drop in the orices. The auctioneer, ,Mr Reed, of Messrs Williams and Kettle, deserves a special vote of thanks for so warmly arid sympathetically selling so that there was a decided sentimental value on account of the sheep being sold for Church purposes. Messrs Williams and Kettle kindly . refunded the.r commission, amounting to some £18 odd. The V(icar took opportunity at the Sunday services of thanking all who had helped to radse the £J434, Churchpeople and outsiders as well. Talking about war, surely more might attend the various week-day intercession services. At Pukehou it is all right if not all it might be, but at Otane the Wednesday morning and evening intercessions are poorly attended. We are sorry to hear that Mr and Mrs Pay are called again to suffer loss. Two little nephews died from the after effects of influenza* both in the. same week. Also we sympathise with Mr Armstrong in the loss of his father who died when on a visit to Otane, and was buried by The Vicar in Otane cemetery.

Now the fruit season is over Mrs ; Davidson would liike to thank tie many people who 'so. generously kept the family so well provided with 1 . fruit for eating and-' fruit for jamrnaking ; very little fruit was bought and that little was paid for toy a generous Blaster gift very thoughtfully sent before hand. The generous Easter offerings .throughout the Parish were- fully appreciated*— in fact, with' prices for chaff and oats being so high, and having two< horses to feed this winter, the Vicar feels sure he would ha/ve been in a very queer street without this year's generous Easter offering. Confirmation classes are started once ; again and it is hoped, that some at least of those who missed the Divine means of grace last year will offer themselves freely this year and decide to become of those who are obedient followers of their Lord and' Saviour Jesus ' Christ. Will friends generally pray that God will lead those who have coone to years oi descretion and are" not . already ■confirmed to offer themselves willingly. We 1 are sad. to hear that our Archdeacon is amongst those who mourn the loss of ai son through this cruel war. These nearer touches surely make the i call to prayer more real and insistent to all of us. Two more parishd oners 'have gone into training I—Mr1 — Mr Harold Jarvis and Mr Gordon Williams, both of whom are very keen and fownd the camp life very real and 1 hard, but on the whole really pleasant. We are very proud of them as of all who are thus 1 volunteering to help to keep the dear old flag flying and the name of England in honour. Mr Noel Williams we are glad 1 to hear is recovering from his wounds received in the Dardanelles engagement. The annual united meeting of the Gleaners' Union was held on April 23rd, when- between eighty and ninety members and friends were present. The day was showerv, or more would have attended. Miss Stinson, a medical missionary 'from China, spoke at both morning and afternoon meetings. • Canon Tuke, Rev. A. P. Clarke and F. W. KinAerley also spoke. The opening meeting of the G.F.S. for 1'915 was held in the Pukehou Sunday School on May Ist. It was decided to hold a sale of work in September in aid of the G-F.S. Hostel at Napier. Over £7 has been collected by Miss Ada Williams, the G.F.S. Secretary, for the same object. A weekly knitting party has been started to work for the men going to 'the front. Several of our men have gone from Pukehou, and others are in camp at Trentham.