CUSTOMS SMOKE CONCERT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1546, 16 September 1912, Page 2

CUSTOMS SMOKE CONCERT.

The fifth annual smoke concert of the Customs and Marine Departments and the Customhouse agents was held on Saturday night in St. Peter's Schoolroom, about 100 persons being present. Sir. G. Allnort, Secretary for Marine, was in tho chair, and among the guests were Mr. R. Flotcher,\ chairman of the W«llington ' Harbour Board, Sir. H. R. Spence, Customs representative for London, and several heads of Departments,- as well as leading citizens. Apologies for unavoidable absence were received from the Hon. ■F. SI. B. Fisher, Minister for Customs and Marine, nnd the Hon. A. L. Herdman. In proposing the toast of the "Customs and Marine Departments," Mr. T. S. Young referred to the great growth in trade, and consequently in the work of the Departments, duing the last 20 years. Since 1890 the exports from the port of Wellington liave increased from ,£9,500,000 to ,£22,000,000, and tho imports from •ECOOO.OOO to Messrs. Spence and Allport, representing tho Dopartuicnts, responded .to tho toast. Other toasts honoured were:—"Wellington Harbour Board," proposed bv Sir. T. Munt and replied to by Sir. R. Fletcher; "Customhouse Agents and Clerks," pronosed by Sir. W. Rose, and acknowledged by Sir. J. J. Casey, both of whom referred to tho happy relations which existed between tho agents and the Department; "Tho Football Teams," proposed by Sir. A. Paul, who expressed his regret at the match having had to bo abandoned owing to inclement weather, and replied to by Mr. D. Butler, a veteran footballer. During tho evening opportunity was taken of saying farewell to Sir. H. R. Spence, who is about to leave for London to net as representative of the Customs Department there. Mention was made of Mr. Spencc's special qualifications for such an important post, and he was congratulated on being the first man chosen to occupy the now position. A good programme of musical and other items was contributed to by the following:—Slessrs. Winstanley, Major, Milsoin, Howard, Girdlestone, Cerutty, Warren, Baker, Coica, SPlntosh, and Flanagan, the accompaniments lwing played by Sir. M'Laughlan.