STATIONMASTER FAREWELLED.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 95, 22 April 1922, Page 15

STATIONMASTER FAREWELLED.

(By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. To mark their respect for their chief, the staff of the Frankton Railway Station gave Mr. O. F. Somerfield, stationmaster, a valedictory social at the Frankton Junction Hall on Thursday night. Mr. Somerfield has been In charge at Frankton for the past five and a-kalf years, during which time he has earned general respect. Hia transfer to Westport, therefore, is the cause of general regret, and the social was confined not merely to the station staff, but was joined in by, a large section of the general public. During the evening" Mr. Somerfield was presented with a silver tea-set and a set of cutlery in case, while his daughter was the recipient of a'leather travelling-bag and several articles for the boudoir table. In returning thanks Mr. Somerfield aaid that he had'ralway.sTregarded himself a 9 the most hated man in Frankton, for where there was a large staff and a larger public to deal with it was difficult to please everybody. Incidentally he remarked that business at the Frankton station increased by £20,000, and if every station in "New Zealand showed a relative increase, there would be no need to talk of retrenchment.