The Commissioner, appointed by the late Lord Macdonald some years ago, is still Mr. W.P. McDonald who bears the title of Chieftain of the Society. He farmed for many years the estate of Ben Lomond of 32,000 across in the Five Rivers district of beautiful Southland, but has now retired to Queenstown on Lake Wakatipu, and still keeps in touch with Clan affairs there and in UK. His old farm had three mountains on it; Ben Lomond, Mt. Gilbert and Mt. Larkins all well over 5,000 feet in height, surely a suitable place for a sturdy Highlander?
The Society numbers some 200 members who meet from time to time on estates belonging to the office-bearers. This year the annual Gathering will be held on the farm of the President, Mr. Donald McDonald of Gap Road. At these meetings sports are held; racing, and sheaf-tossing a local sport indulged by ladies, junior men and seniors. The Five Rivers men and those of Gap Road are keen contestants at this particularly New Zealand contest.
In Southland there five other Clan Societies – McKenzie, Buchanan, McLeod, Macpherson and Lindsay – these hold combined meetings with Clan Donald. We hope to have fuller details of this active Society in our next magazine. These details are culled from our current correspondence, as a full report has not come to hand at the time of going to Press.