VALEDICTORY.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15021, 16 July 1914, Page 7

VALEDICTORY.

SEND-OFF TO MR AND MRS R. LOUDON AT LEESTON. Mr R. Loudon, who has retired, after forty-one years' service with the Bank of Now Zealand, twenty years of which have been 6pent as manager of the I_eston branch, was, along with Mrs Loudon, entertained at a farewell social in tho Leeston Town Hall on Tuesday evening. The gathering was thoroughly representative of tho Ellesmere district, every centre between tho Rakaia aud Selwyn rivers being represented. Mr J. Storry (chairman of the Ellesmoro County Council) presided, and he had with him on the stage tho guests of the evening nnd a number of leading residents. Apologies for absence were received from the Hon. R. Hoaton Rhodes, Mr William Inwood. and others. In the early part of the evening musical and other items were given oy Misses Chamberlain, Henderson, and Buckhurst. Messrs H. Cornwall and J. M. A. Walker, and » Leeston orchestra.

In presenting Mr Loudon with a gold watch, and Mrs Loudon with a handsome pendant, the chairman said that during the twenty years that Mr Loudon had resided in tho district as manager of the bank ho had been brought, into closo contact- with a great many of the residents, and tho large attendance that evening afforded excellent testimony of the high esteem in which both Mr and Mrs Loudon wero held by tho people. A bank manager had many tryiug duties to perform, but it was very evident that Mr Loudon had performed his duties to tho satisfaction both of the bank authorities and their clietns. While ho regretted very much that the guests were leaving the* district, ho thought it must bo a source of great .satisfaction to Mr Loudon to know that ho was retiring under such pleasant circumstances, and that he enjoyed tho esteem and goodwill of the whole community. The people had responded very liberally to the committee's invitation for subscriptions towards tho presentations, which ho hoped would servo to remind the guests for many years of their many friends in the Ellesmere district. (Applause.) Complimentary speeches were mado by Messrs J. Osborne, J. Barnett, A. J* Inwood, W. Scott, and Dr B. Volckroan.

In the course of his reply, Mr Loudon said that both Mis Loudon and himself had enjoyed their twenty years' residence in tho Ellesmero district very much. Ho joined tho bank at Blonheim in 1873, and since then he had been stationed successively at Picton, Dunedin. Balclutha. Cromwell, Levuka, Auckland. Gisborne, and Leeston. He thought he could fairly claim to know something about the agricultural districts in various parts of Now Zealand, and ho could assure them that ho bad Been no finer or more prosperous district in New Zoaland than Ellesmere. As a banker ho had found tho people honest, reliable, and thoroughly trustworthy. During tho whole of the time he had beon in Leeston not a singlff client of the bank had ever played hint false, and ho had never had occasion to feel doubtful about any man after he loft the bank parlour. Ho felt ve-v grateful to them for their very fine presents, and for their presence that evening, and desired to assure them that both Mrs London and himself would always remember with pleasure their stay in the Ellesmere district(Applause.)