VALEDICTORY TO MR W. REECE.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13231, 26 September 1908, Page 3

VALEDICTORY TO MR W. REECE.

j DEPUTATION ;TO THE MAYOR. ..'•

A deputation, representing the Chamber of Coa_merco. Employers' Aasocia3t_n, Industrial ___o_i_tion, aiwi tho Tram-cay Boards waited on -is Worship the Mayor yesterday morning. The object of the deputation was to put before the Mayor a suggestion that a public valedictory gathering should be -old in honour of Mr Wilhaan Reeco, prior to its departure for England oa October loth, an- that his Worship should take the initiative -steps. Those present included:—Messrs H. J. Marriner (President of the Chamber of Commerce), A. W. Heaven (Chaafman of tho Christchurch ' Tramway Board), F. W. Hobbs (President of the Employers' Association), F. E. Jones (President of the Industrial Association). P. L. Halleastcic, H. Quane. and J. W. Sey. Mr Marriner said the gentlemen forming tha deputation which he had the honour of introducing to the Mayor represented tho various bodies with which Mr William Recce had been, connected at various times. It had been suggested that, considering the groat services rendered in various ways to the city by Mr Roece, a public sond-off should be tendered to Mm i>rior to hia departure for England. Mr Reeco was a man who had worked, most earnestly and zealously for all making for the benefit of tho city, and he felt euro that the public of Christchurch as a wholo would very heartily support the proposal to pay what was but a small trrbuto to the public spiritedness' of Mr Roece. It would, of course, bo a matter for future as to what shape this expression of public gratitude should take. - I , M l r B . ei *™n said that Mr Reeco had Tilled, with credit to himeeif and,honour to ChriSitchuToh, every offico that the city could confer. Ho had been Mayor and President of the Canterbury A.' and f. Association, and was one of those taking part in tho initiation of tho Christchurch Tramway Board, and its firs* chairman. If over thero was a public man who deserved such a tribute as they now proposed to pay him, it was Mr William Ileece. In addi- * lon to the public positions filled by Mr Recce to which ho (Mr Beaven) had aJluded, ho had also taken a leading and active part in tho sending off of the Canterbury contingents to South Africa. If the Mayor acceded to their request, thero was no doubt that the gathering would be a very large and representative one. Mr Hobbs said, as President of the Employers' Association, he could testify to the great amount of work done Recce for tho benefit of tho city of Christchurch, and ho was veryglad to find that a movement had been made in the direction of paying a welldesorved tribute to a gentleman who had devoted so much of his valuable timo m serving the citizens. Mr Reeco had intimated, in a way, that ho did not mtemd to take up further public work ononis return from Homo; but _-Tx? obbs) h °P cd tnat this would not he tho ease, and' that Mr Reeco would give the city the benefit of his experience at Home, which ho feltsure would bojnost valuable in _xanv ways. Ho ..thought a public dinner would perhaps he the best way of enabling an expression to bo giren of the gratitude of tho citizens to Mr Reeco. Mr -Jones,said that tho Industrial Association was indebted to Mr Recce for much earnest and zealous work, and ho folt sure that the propooal now made would hove the hearty support not only of the members of those bodies with which Mr .Reeco had been connected, but of the public generally. Mr Booth said that it might be Mr Reeco's wish that the gathering should bo of a semi-private character, and, if this were so, they would feel bound to be guided by, Mr ..Recce's, wishes. But ho would point:but'.that.w«iry>"cifci_en was interred in tie work which Mr Reeco had been, dping, particularly with respect to the Tramway Board. That was the reason whichhad induced them to approach the Mayor, as representative of all the citizeus, totako the lead on this occasion in taking the necessary preliminary steps. As soon as his Worship notified fliw willingness to do this, a committee could bo formed and details organised. - _ Mr as chairman of the East and West Coast- Ilailway Committeo of the Chamber of Commerce, he desired to add his testimony to that of the gentlemen who- had already spoken as to the way in which .Mr Recce had given his services to the public. Although great demands were made upon his time, Mr. Recce always most cheerf uly gave* his assistanoe in connection with the railway whenever he'was asked to do so. There was no one that ho knew who co richly deserved publio recognition of his many services in the city as Mr Recce. : ***? The Mayor said he was very pleased indeed, to receive a deputation of so representative a character, and one ! having in view an object with which . lie moist heartily etwi'ourred. He had I known Mr Recce person a Ilv sinco boyhood, and in.his opinion there washo public man who had done more work irthe interests of the city than Mr Recce had done. Despite the fact that his own business claimed a large amount of his timo, Mr Recce had cheerfully devoted himself most zealously to important work in the public 'interest. This was especially the case with regard to tho Tramway Board, tho inauguration of which was due to Mr Recce, and with regard to tho West Coast railway. Therefore, ho thought that Mr Recce was entitled to the most enthusiastic send-off that they couldt give him. Be, a_ Mayor, had the greatest plessure in -acceding to the request of 'the deputation that he i should assist, and would do his best, in conjunrtion with the deputation,-to make tho proposed gathering successful. - It wi>_ resolved that thc<se •■present should form a committee to take the matter in hand, with power to add to their number., The first me«tins; of the committee was fixed for Monday, at noon, at the City Council office, and tho names of Lieut.-Cokmels Hawkins, Slater, and Day, and Mr M. Murphy, of the Canterbury A. and P. Association, wero added to' the committee. Subsequently the Mayor and tho members of tho deputation interviewed Mr Recce. The Mayor detailed the proceedings in with the deputation which had waited upon him, and nskeel Mr Recce to names date which would be convenient to him. Mr Reeco said he would far rather have been allowed to slip away on his trio quietly. But as the deputation had taken tW matter ;n Twit;*-, arc! having had experience of their determination in carrying out anything that they once embarked upon, he would lenvo himself entirely in their hands. He desired to express his high appreciation of the compliment they desired to pay to him, and his gratitude for the kindly things which had been said of him. After discussion, it was resolved to hold tbe eathering on tho evening of October 13th.