FORTY YEARS' SERVICE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16985, 6 November 1920, Page 2

FORTY YEARS' SERVICE.

« | PRESENTATION TO ME CHARLES j LOW. V ! Members of the news-room staff, of the Christchurch'Press Company, Ltd.. gathered "round the stone." yesterday afternoon to bid farewell to an old comrade of' very many years' standing, Mr Charles Low, who has resigned from the company's service after JO years employment, end will join his son in farming pursuits on the West Coast, j • Mr I'. E. Sprosen, Father of the Chapel, expressed his regret at the departure of i\ir Low, for whom, he said, no man on the shift had nnvtiung but the most sincere regard. All had always found him "a iine old fellow to work with," and all would miss him greatly. The regret at losing him was, however, somewnat compensated for by the knowledge that Mr Low was leaving in the best of health, with the prospect of enjoying for many years his wellearned rest. He would always be assured of a hearty welcome, whenever lie chose to pay a visit to his old comrades on "The Press." Mr A. M. Hester, acting-manager of tho Christchurch Press Co., Ltd., said that Mr Low had come out to the company from England m 1880, having been engaged by the then chairman of directors, the late Hon. E. C. _J. Stevens. He had commenced his duties as a hand-compositor, but on the installation of the linotype machines in 1893, lie had "blossomed forth into a full-blown lino-operator," and had remained as such ever since. Mr Hester, who himself has been 32 years with the Press Company, added that he had always found Mr Low the soul of honour in Jiis work, and . in all liis private transactions, and all deeply regretted tho severance of his connexion witli the company. . Mr F. J. Board, Printer of The Press," fully endorsed all that the .two previous speakershad said, and expressed his appreciation of Mr Low's services during tho long period which he had spent on the staff. Mr Board remarked that ho himself was in the emplov of the company when Mr Low arrived, and he had therefore had every opportunity of seeing Mr Low's sterling qualities, and of appreciating his entire straightforwardness, Both as a worker and as a friend. The band of employees of "The Press" whose period of service verged on 50_ years, was now becoming somewhat limited, but it was gratifying to know that the list would, before long, again be a big one. As far. as long-service men were concerned the Christchurch Press Company had a record which was alone in the Dominion, and the long list of those who had been with the company for 25 and 30 years and longer, snoke volumes for the conditions of work in "The Press" office. Mr Board reiterated his regret at

losing Mr Low's services, and expressed \ his satisfaction that _Mr Low was in a position to retire with good prospecte for the future in health and otherwise. Mr H. Kent, another of the newsroom staff of over 40 years' standing, endorsed the remarks of the previous speakers, and said he had always found Mr Low one of the very best to work with. _ Mr Hester then handed to Mr Low a gold-mounted watch-guard, with _ a gold mattrix pendant, bearing the in* scription : "ISSO-1926 —Presented to Charles Low bv his confreres of 'The Press.' 4-11-20." i In reply, Mr Low thanked all his old comrades for having done so much to make his leaving fi pleasant one. : It was. he said, a very hard thing to i breals away from the office after so; many years, and especially so as all had been so cood to him. He took wit i him most pleasurable memories of his. day* with the Press Company, and his. feelings were more than he could ex-1 pres- He hoped that in the future he < would not be quite cut off from his old ! companions, and added that, even if thev were not warranted, it was very . pleasant- to have so many nice things; said about him. ' Mr Hester remarked, amidst applause. that the Board of Directors had seen fit to mark their appreciation in a substantial manner of Mr Low's long service to the Press Comnnnv. | The gathering concluded wTth cheers fnr Mr Low, nnd the singing of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow."