25 YEARS’ SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 159, 2 April 1937, Page 8

25 YEARS’ SERVICE

Mr. W. Simm Entertained By D.IC. Staff The staff of the D.1.C.. Wellington, and many former members of it, were present on Wednesday night at a social held in the firm’s tearooms in honour of Mr, W. Simm, who recently completed 25 years of service as manager. The first part of the evening was taken up by a musical programme. A nigger minstrel troupe, comprising Messrs. A. d-e Clifton, J. Jamieson, It. Mullis, S. Adair, A. Bee, J. Osborne, W. Robinson, and J. Morris, gave twenty minutes of bright entertainment. Then followed vocal items by Misses V. Barry and T. Fiske and Mr. J. Osborne; Maori melodies, Miss K. Hakaraia; lightning sketches, Miss C. Norris; .instrumental solo, Mr. M. Elder; novelty vocal trio, Misses Orbell, Brooks, and Armstrong. An entertaining farce was staged by Mrs. Ina Allen, Misses Bate and Melville, and Messrs. Fancourt and Morris. Mr. A. E. Burge, secretary of the 'Wellington branch, was M.C. More than 50 congratulatory messages to Mr. Simm from the D.I.C. directorate, branches, members of the staff on holiday, ex-members, and business associates, paying tribute to the respect and esteem in which he is held throughout New Zealand, were read.

The highlight of the supper interlude was the piping-in of the birthday cake, ornamented with 25 candles, by Piper George Arthur, of the Wellington Caledonian Society’s Pipe Band. Following the'piper were the chef and members of the staff with 25 or more years of service.

After supper Mr. R. D. Thompson, merchandise manager, called upon Miss D. Mowatt, senior member of the staff, to make the presentation of a grandfather clock to Mr. Simm. Other speakers were Mr. E. Broom, senior buyer, Mr. A. de Clifton, Mr. Pegram, Mr. J. G. Smith, of James Smith's, Ltd., and Mr. Thos. Forsyth, secretary of the Wellington Drapers’ Association, the last two being Mr. Simm’s oldest associates in the trade in Wellington. Mr. J. B. Ferguson, Napier, made a presentation to Mr. Simm ou behalf of the Hawke’s Bay Drapers’ Association, with which he was associated before coming to Wellington.

Mrs. W. Simm, who could not be present owing to illness, was sent a decorated crystal basket by Ibe staff. Thanking the gathering, Air. Simm expressed his appreciation of the gifts and referred to the many changes in Wellington in the past 25 years.