FAREWELL TO MR. W. W. DE CASTRO.

(From "The Colonist," June 24.)

On Saturday evening Mr. W. W. de Castro, Deputy Land Registrar, etc., at Nelson, who has been transferred to Invercargill, was entertained at the Commercial Hotel-'.by the Nelson Law Society, and presented with a .silver tea and coffee service. The president (Mr. G. J. Harley) occupied the chair, and about a dozen members of the legal profession were present, those wlio were absent sending excuses for their non-attendance.

In making the presentation, Mr Harley said that they had met together to say farewell to Mr. de Castro. Recently their guest had passed with credit a dilh'cult examination in connection with the Land Transfer Office, and this had been followed by promotion to the Inveroargill office. He knew it was Mr de Castro'a ambition to rise in the service, and in being promoted to Invercargill he wae making a substantial advance. Mr. de Castro was to be heartily congratulated upon his promotion, at the same time, he (the speaker) was exceedingly Borry that he was leaving Nelson. Mr. de Castro had resided here for, he believed, about 20 years, and during the whole of that time ho had been closely associated with all of J those present. If the experiences of the | others- with Mr de Castro had been the samo as his, they must have been very pleasant indeed. Mr de Castro was a* ! most painstaking and obliging officer, and there had been very few differences between' him and the profession. Whatever happened, Mr de Castro always tried to temper his view in a kindly manner. Mr de Castro had not only been a good officer, but ho had been a good citizen. Ho was a leading Freemason and a leading churchman, 1 and he had been an active member of the Nelson Bowling Club; in fact ho was one of those men it wag well to have in a town. Mr Harley said he was sure Mr de Castro was leaving Nelson with the good wishes of all those with whom lie had been associated, and ho asked him to ;:c..'C])t from the members of the Nele-on Law Society a tea and coffee service ss, a memento of his sojourn in Nelson, and a token of their goodwill. The tea and coffee, service, which was supplied from the establishment of Mr L. Kerr, bore the following inscription, "W. W. de Castro, Esq. Presented by the members of the Nelson Law Society, June 22nd. 1912."

Mr. A. T. Maginnity said lie did not know that he coiikl add anything to what had been said by Mr. Harley. Mr de Castro had been acsociated * with them for a fifth of a century, and it was with extreme feelings of regret that they would say good-byo to him. At tile same time he congratulated Mr de Castro on his promotion, and said that now he would have an opportunity of getting to the'top of the ladder. He would not be surprised if his stay in Invercargill would be temporary only, and that before long he would" be removed to one of the larger centres. In his official capacity, Mr. de Castro had always done his beet to meet thorn, and his promotion was well deserved. Mr. J. P. Hayes said he was glad to have an opportunity of sneaking in regard to Mr. de Castro' B good qualities. He was, for some tune, a C°un.to' practitioner afrd. he ; O und then aa at all times j •fcfaai Mr. do Cautro showed him the kindliest consideration.

Mr. L. D. Eastern (Motueka) concurred with what had been said by the previous speakers, and was glad of the opportunity of acknowledging Mr. de Castro's unfailing courtesy.

Speeches in a similar strain wexe made by Messrs. E. B. Moore, J. Glasgow, Nicholsen (Motueka) P. Moore, and W. S. Milner, and the health of Mr de Castro was drunk with enthusiasm.

Mr de Castro, on rising to reply, was received with applause. Ha said he hardly knew how to thank them for the kind things that had been said about him, and for their handsome present. Ho liad been in Nelson just over twenty years, and it had been a most pleasant and happy time. Both official^ and privately he had enjoyed his residence in Nelson, and it was with feelings of regret that he parted from liig many friends. It was often said that tbero was very little doing in Nelson, and, to show that this was not the case, he had got out isome figures, showing what had been done by his office during tho past 20 years: Deeds registered 14,700; transfers 8,050; mortgages 7,400 ; transmissions 1400; caees 600; miscellaneous deeds 10,000; certificates of title 6,200 ; while the revenue received had been £180,000. The figures quoted, he said, were well within the mark. In conclusion Mr de Castro said he could never forget the many kindnesses he had received from the members of the legal profession, and he again thanked them for their handsome gift. The health of Mrs. de Castro and the president of the Nelson Law Society having been drunk, the gathering terminated.