FIFTY YEARS OF FAITHFUL SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 53, 26 November 1917, Page 4

FIFTY YEARS OF FAITHFUL SERVICE

At its last meeting the Wellington City Council passed a vote of thanks by acclamation to tho City Valuer (Mr. James Ames) on tho completion of fifty years' faithful service in tho employ of the municipality. This was tho very least tho Council could have done, for tho services rendered to the city By Mr. Ames have been of tho greatest value. Tho surpriso to many was that tho City Council should have signalised the occasion by nothing more than an expression of its appreciation. Placed in a position that in ono of peculiar responsibility, Mr. Ames has performed his work in a manner that has earned for him not only tho appreciation of many Mayors and City Councils, but tho respect and confidence of tho entire community (or ono might say communities) for a period nf over half a century, performing his duties as City Valuer, Chief Electoral Ollicor, and Compiler of Rolls with exceptional care, judgment, and singleness _ of purpose. It is therefore surprising that tho Council, none of the members of which underrate the worth <i[ tho City Valuer's services, should have allowed so uni(|wi an occasion to pass without HOtnu recognition of a substantial nature. J'ho liipßo is all the mora noticeable when it in known that, for at loiiut two-thirds of tho time, if witjinoro. Mint.Mre. Amiss has been in l.lio'imrvicu of the corporation bo ban been iniminibly underpaid, anil' Unit when lie (locs retire from l.lio riofiit.loiirt lieutill so ably lillii. he will not be entitled by right to anything ill the imttli'o of tmperaiiniiiitioii, ail tile liiilinlmj which lias jinil, coino 111 1.0 upol'nl.iiiii Inkcu no cogiiiimticf) of employee!! over sixty yearn of apt!, 11. imiv in." Unit (he Council bail in mini! the idea of making tlicl, at some future tium wli«u Mn. Am Kit may decide- to lako a well-eni'iied rest. If such is the I'iiw, it would ho a gracious thing for the Council to now in Li mat" its intentions. Wo are confident that tho whole city— which, after all, pays tho pipor— would appla-ud the Council wore- it i

to cvidonco its intention o£ granting so old and faithful a servant of the municipality a proper retiring allowance when he at length decides to throw asido the cares of office.