FAREWELL AND PRESENTATIONS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 55, 6 March 1914, Page 8

FAREWELL AND PRESENTATIONS

Mr., P. J. Griffin, of the Pier Hotel, left yesterday, accompanied by Mrs. Griffin, on a trip to Ireland. At a few hours' notice of his intended departure, a, large number of his friends foregathered, under the chairmanship of Mr. J. J. M'Grath, for the purpose of bidding him and his wife "bon voyage" and a safe return. Mr. M'Grath, in opening the proceedings, referred to the many acts of kindness which Mr. Griffin and his wife had done to those present. He said had they received a longer notice of Mr. Griffin's visit to the dear land of his/birth they would have gladly adopted a more adequate and appropriate method of showing the high esteem in which they held him and his wife, not only as personal friends, but aa good citizens of Wellington. Mr. M'Grath wished him, on behalf of the gathering, a real good Maori send off in the words : ''Kia ora. Koutou ma te attla Koutou c tiaki." At the request of those present, Mr. Robert Fletcher, chairman of the Harbour Board, presented Mr. and Mrs. Griffin with two travelling rugs and two deck chairs, with the wish that the trip would be highly enjoyable. A presentation was also made on behalf of the Celtic Clubi of which Mr. Griffin is an esteemed and active member. The health of the departing guests was duly honoured, after which Mr. Griffin replied, stating that the pleasure he anticipated in again visiting the land of his birth would be eq^lled only by the pleasure he would have in re-joining the associations of the land of his adoption.