FAREWELL TO POLICE OFFICER

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 175, 20 April 1929, Page 7

FAREWELL TO POLICE OFFICER

LICENSEES' APPRECIATION OF SERVICES. z Wanganui, April 19. Senior-Sergeant Lopdell, who has been stationed in Wanganui for thepast seven years, was met at Foster’s Hotel this afternoon by the Wanganui licensed victuallers, who desired to express their appreciation of his services. Mr. J. R. Foster presided, He stated that he (the speaker) was the oldest member in the trade in the town, and he was glad to be able to say how well the Senior-Sergeant had done his duty. They regretted that the regulations did not permit giving him a presentation. When the Senior-Sergeant came to Wanganui he told tha speaker that it had been said he was a very hard man. . The speaker replied that it was a hard man they wanted, and they knew where they were; they had always got a square deal from the Senior-Sergeant. They had had good police officers here in the past who had passed on to other districts and important positions. They looked to the time when the Senior-Sergeant would climb still higher up the tree, even to be Commissioner, for he had the ability to db so. They all regretted his departure, and wished him every success in the future. Mr. L. Fromont said that during his three years as a licensee he had found the Senior-Sergeant a. good officer Wanganui was losing a very respectable citizen. He was a thorough gentleman, fair and just He supported the previous speakers’ good wishes. Mr. J.Siddells, as secretary of the Licensed Victuallers’ Association, expressed his admiration of the SeniorSergeant. He (the speaker) said he was well qualified to do so, having been in both branches of the force. He wished to express his appreciation of the way the Senior-Sergeant had performed his duties. He had always been fair, and the trade had great admiration for him. The gathering was unique in the fact that the Senior-Sergeant was meeting the trade in a friendly’.farewell gathering, . Tributes were also paid by Messrs. J. Hannan, E. Manley, S. Dunn, and T. Vangioni. Senior-Sergeant Lopdell, in reply, said the occasion was an unique experience. He thanked the speakers for their remarks, and said his relations with the licensees in Wanganui had been most friendly.’ He would carry away with him happy recollections of his stay in Wanganui.