A PLEASANT GATHERING.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLV, Issue 6852, 13 April 1917, Page 3

A PLEASANT GATHERING.

Harbour Board Chairman

Entertains

It was a very happy thought that prompted Mr Geo. Vesey Stewart, Chairman of the Harbour Board, to entertain the members of the Board and a few other gentlemen ti dinner at the Bell Tea Rooms on ths afternoon of the 35th inst. All the members of the Board, with the exception of Colonel Ward, who was unavoidably absent were present; also Mr •jowe (the Secretary), Mr Macau 11 an (Mayor of Tauranga), Mr Oonnington (Manager of the Bank of New Zealand), Mr Sharp (the Board's Solicitor), Mr C. C. Norria (Chairman Tauranga Chamber of Commerce), and Mr Gifford (Bay of Plenty Times). After the excellent dinner served by Mr Swann had been partaken of and the toast of The King had been honoured, tbe Chairma s expressed his pleasure at meeting the members in such a manner. Before they met again a new Board would be elected. In proposing the toast of the Retiring Members Mr Stewart felt sure that fie ratepayers had commonsense enough to return all the present members. In proposing the health of Mr Macmillan the Chairman remarked that when bringing his settlers to New Zealand many years ago he had chartered the Lady Jocelyn and tbe May Queen, two of the largest vessels then in the Port of London, principally for the purpose of demonstrating the possibilities of the Tauranga j harbour. Other speakers referred to ! the valuable asset the district possessed in its harbour, and the great desirability of united action in bringing about Us development. In proposing tbe toast of the Chairman, Mr Macmillan said t&at in Mr Stewart Tauranga, and more particularly Katikati, bad a man in whom they had every reason to be proud. The whole of his life had been devoted to the public service, perhaps with small thanks, but at all events with very little emolument. Mr Stewart could, however, claim that whatever work he had undertaken had been well done. Mr Stewart, in thanking the Company for the manner in which his health has been toasted, believed that if he were out of harness he would mope and die. He felt sure, however, that at the present time there was much work to do.

Other toasts were honoured and a very pleasant gathering terminated at 4 o'clock.