HONOURED SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 261, 30 July 1932, Page 10

HONOURED SERVICE

Mr. J. Marchbanks’s Record GIFTS PRESENTED Staff of Harbour Board Employees of the Wellington Harbour Board assembled yesterday afternoon to express their feelings of goodwill toward Mr. J. Marchbanks, the general manager and chief engineer to the board, and make him a presentation on the eve of hl» retirement. Mr. Marchbanks was given an elght-day oblong clock mounted and flanked with onyx. On the front of the base was a gold plate engraved as follows: “Presented to J. Marchbanks, Esq., by the staff of the Wellington Harbour Board; July, 1932.” Mr. A. W. 0. Travers presided. The gathering, he said, had been arranged to enable them to bid farewell to Mr. Marchbanks, a man who had given yeoman service to the board. Since the constitution of the board in 1880 there had been only four executive officers, Mr. H. M. Lyon, Mr. W. Ferguson, Mr. H. Nicholls, who was present with them that afternoon, and Mr, . Marchbanks. Id asking Mr. Marchbanks to accept the gift from the staff, Mr. F. W. Ward said It represented some small token of the respect in which he was held by the whole of the board employees, During his association with the board many important improvements had been effected. The staff held him In the highest respect, not only for his ability but for the consideration he showed to the staff under'his control. The hands of the figures on the clock were picked out in gold. That symbolised the golden hours of happiness they wished Mr. Marchbanks in his retirement. The employees of the board trusted that the gift would remind him of many reminiscences of happy associations with the staff of the board. They all hoped that in his leisure , years Mr. Marchbanks . would enjoy good health and happiness. . . After thanking the staff for its handsome gift Mr. Marchbanks said that many of the remarks made by Mr, Travers and Mr. Ward were quite undeserved. His relationships with the staff-had always been exceedingly happy. It was some 23 years since he had joined the Harbour Board, and from the very start he had been given the greatest assistance and co-opera-tlon by the board's employees, who were always anxious to do their best for the board.

He had received the greatest assistance, not only from executive officers, but from the staff generally. Any success that had attended any particular works in which he had been concerned was in a large measure due to the help he had received from officers of the board. He was pleased to see some of his old associates present that day. In conclusion Mr. Marchbanks returned thanks for the opportunity given him to. bld the staff farewell. . The gathering then sang, “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow," after which three cheers were given for Mr. Marchbanks. A cheer was also given for Mrs. Marchbanks. Earlier in the afternoon Mr. Marchbanks was presented by the senior and chief executive officers of the board with a silver salver. In asking Mr. Marchbanks’s acceptance of the gift the chief executive officer, Mr. A. G. Barnett, said they were losing a chief, who while, carrying out his duty to the board, had been a true friend and counsellor to his officers. Always fair in his Judgments, wise in his counsel, and considerate In all his dealings with them, he had enjoyed theii" esteem and affection.