CENTRAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 227, 19 June 1920, Page 3

CENTRAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

HONOURS ITS RETIRING PRESIDENT HR. C.; M. ( LUKE RECEIVES AN ADDRESS Yesterday afternoon the council of "the Wellington Central Chamber of Commerce entertained Mr.. C. if, Luke at -afternoon ten in Dustin'e rooms, to mark his retirement from the position of president, .which'he had fcwd sinco the establishment of the chamber.

Mr. A. L. .Hunt, who occupied tlio chair, said that they had met in a small, way to express their good, wishes to Mr. Luke. No man in his acquaintance camo nearer his ideal of a good citizen. He had taken tho trouble to compile a little list of positions that Mr., Luke had occupied. Mr. Luke had been a member of the Legislative Council. Mayor of tho "city, and a member of the Wellington Harbour; Hoard. Ho was one of the'original members of the Y.M.C.A., and at one time its vice-president. Ho was also a member uf the Y.M.C.A.'s National Committee, and the chairman of its Military Committee, right through the war. He was grst elected to this Hospital Board in 1885. He was still a member of that institution, and for nine years' had been its chairman. He was on the'executive of two national exhibitions (at Du'nedin and Wellington), and was X.niember of the Royal Commission sot up by the to inquire into' tho _ advantages c.r disadvantages which might accrue to New Zealand through joining. tho. Commonwealth of Australia/ No one present would regret the. decision (against' amalgamation) which, that commission had arrived at. Mr. Luke was also a vice-president of the Wellington Patriotic Society, a member of the War Belief' Association (on which he still sat); he had been president of tho Primitive Methodist Church; was one of the founders of the Wellington Industrial Associat'on, and the Wellington ' Employers' Association; was president of the Prices-<-Triblinal and .the :Profes3ive League, and had 'been president of the Wellington Zoological Society, and the Newtown Bowling Club. He-was. 'also d member of tho Technical Education Board for many years. Besides those named, there were other sports and church bodies which had been delighted.to honour him. The community was still. to'have the benefit of Mr. Luke's experience, which would 'be of inestimable value in the future. It was in the way of some small return for his services! .to the chamber ttat they wishied to hand ; him a little memento of the time he had'spent with them. The gift took the form of a very handsomely, illuminated address, symbolic in its decorative features of the many ■ activities of a public character in which Mr. Luke had been engaged. The cen.tral;feature in the top section of tho border was a photograph of tho recipient, flanked by views of the Legislative' Council and the Town Hall, whilst the other borders -were made equally significant by appropriate sketches. On' Mr. Hunt's proposal, Mr. Luke's health was drunk with musical honours. In reply. Mr. Luke said that probably never' before had' he been placed in so embarrassing a position; but though, when Mri Hunt had asked him for a list oppositions he had occupied, he was himself astounded, he thought that his friend was placing him on a pedestal too exalted for a human being to occupy. While perhaps not all his ideals had been realised, he could look back with satisfaction on his endeavours to achieve them fa the service of tho public. He had had his reverses too, but had never regretted the step ho had taken 41 years ago] and the positions he had held in building up and advancing the interests of the community. (Hear, hear.) He had;, not been' one to pile up material wealth, but having achieved a modest competence he felt gratified "in, giving his services to the commonweal. Happiness in life did' not'altogether result from what one:did for oneself, but rather from -what one could do for those around.. .There, were things higher and nobler 'than money-getting. There was more 'satisfaction' in serving "one's" fellows .than in'.accumulating, wealth.;' £a could say with perfect truth thjvt he had always endeavoured to promote a good spirit, fellowship, and love for mankind. i He thanked the council sincerely for the 1 handsome mark,of their esteem, and .he hoped he would bo%pared to render further .service to' the .community of this most'beautiful portion of tho British Empire. (Applause.) Messrs. H. Hart (vice-president),' F, Caetlej .H. .Stockbridge, and others offered =their felicitations to Mr. Luke. ':