100 YEARS OF TRADING

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27466, 28 September 1954, Page 6

100 YEARS OF TRADING

FIRM’S ANNIVERSARY DINNER

To celebrate 100 years of trading at Dunstable House, the firm of J. Ballantyne and Company, which has been associated with the house for 82 years, last evening entertained 341 members of the staff at a dinner in the Winter Garden. Among those present were 50 members of the company’s Timafu branch brought to Christchurch by special buses. Three former members of the staff with more than 50 years’ service had an honoured place at the gathering. They were Mrs E. Early, who was responsible for the distinctive signature which appears on the firm’s stationery and advertisements, and Messrs H. Mogridge and P. Ladd. A present-day member of the staff at the dinner, Mr A. Leslie, joined the firm in May, 1902. A message from the Bishop of Christchurch, the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren, was read by the chairman of directors, Mr G. N. Francis. “I shall be grateful if you will kindly convey my greetings and good wishes to members of the firm of J. Ballantyne and Company on the attainment of the firm’s one hundredth anniversary.” said Bishop Warren. “The link between the firm and the church is a valued one, and the service the managers and staff have rendered to the community has been of a high order.” Members of the firm attended a service in the Christchurch Cathedral conducted by Bishop Warren on Sunday morning. Dunstable House had held a unique place in Christchurch and New Zealand, said Mr L. D. Cotterlll. the firm’s legal adviser, who prooosed the toast of “The House.” It had had a reputation and a standing for many years of which they could be proud. Proud of Association

At Dunstable House they were proud that they were so closely associated with the foundation of Canterbury province, said Mr K. W. Ballantyne. a director of the firm, in reply. History taught that no nation or people had a right or claim to greatness without tradition, and he believed it was tradition that had given the proper sense of responsibility at Dunstable House. “Long may it continue to uphold that tradition.” Mr Francis, proposing, the toast of “The Staff,” recalled that when John Ballantyne took over Dunstable House it was recorded that there were 12 members in the departments and three females in the millinery. The staff today totalled 382—321 in Christchurch and 61 in Timaru—but at one stage before mass production of goods and when everything had had to be made

to measure, the staff had been considerably larger. Mr J. Brook replied for the Christchurch staff, and Mr W. B. Ramsay for the Timaru staff. Mr Brook said it was a privilege to work for a firm which enjoyed such a reputation for integrity and service. The managing director, Mr Ronald Ballantyne, said grace before the dinner. Other directors present were Messrs H. S. Williams and C. Wilson. Mr Francis said that among the guests at the dinner was the manager of the National Bank, which had been the bankers of Ballantynes since 1872. Transport Board Sub-station.— The Municipal Electricity Department will be given first option to purchase the Christchurch Transport Board’s Fendalton sub-station for electrical supply purposes. This information was given m a report to the board’s monthly meeting yesterday.