CITIZENS' TRIBUTES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 45, 21 August 1931, Page 11

CITIZENS' TRIBUTES

MR. M'BAIN'S FAREWELL

A CROWDED GATHERING

It was impossible tor all those who desired, last evening, to honour Mr. A. M'Bain, who retires to-morrow from the position of headmaster of the Eastern Hutt School, to find even standing room iv St. James's School Hall. Mr. \V. V. Dyer, chairman of the School Committee, presided, and with him ■were the Mayor, Mr. W. T. Strand, Mr. H. P. Kidson, principal of the High School, the Rev. J. M'Caw, Mr. W. Nash, the member for the district, and Mrs. Nash, Mr. E. House, an ex-chairman of the commitee, Mr. Miller (Hutt Central School), Mr. Wilson (Waiwhetu School), Mr. H. S. Dudding (Eastern Hutt Committee), and Mr. 0. Diekeuson, first assistant at Eastern Hutt School. Several seats in the body of the hall were occupied by members of the staff, past and present. Among the ex-pupils present were some who were under Mr. M'Bain 43 years ago,. Mr. G. L. Peck being one of the number. The chairman said that during its seventeen years the school had only one headmaster, Mr. M'Bain. Mr. M'Bain's one aim during the whole period of his service had been the welfare of the school and the children, and out in the world to-day there were men and women who were "playing the game" as Mr. M'Bain had taught them to play it. Mr. W. T. Strand paid a tribute to Mr. M'Bain as a friend and one to whom the distriot owed a debt of gratitude it could never repay. Some men had memorials built to them, but Mr. M'Bain had built his own memorial in the lives of men and women not only in Lower Hutt and New Zealand, but in many parts of the world. Mr. Nash testified to the wonderful results which had followed the teaching and training of Mr. M'Bain and said the district was to be congratulated in haviug his presence for the past seventeen years. Mr. 11. P. Kidson said he had been, as principal oi" the High School, dealing with the product of Mr. M'Bain's work for the past live years, and while he had found the pupils from Eastern Hutt efficient in tile three R's, he had found something more important—the pupils all had the school spirit. Mr. M'Bain was undoubtedly one of the best headmasters this generation had produced. Mr. C. Diekenson said a man was known by his work, and Mr. M'Bain's work was seen in all parts of the Dominion, and as far afield as London, where the manager of the National Bank of New Zealand was one of Mr. M'Bain's ex-pupils. Mr. R. House, on behalf of the older residents of Lower Hutt and old members of the committee, paid a tribute to the guest as a man and a teacher. At this stage, on behalf of the school staff and the parents and children, Mr. Dyer presented Mr. and Mrs. M'Bain with a handsome chesterfield suite. MR. M'BAIN'S REPLY. Mr. M'Bain, in reply, said his emotions would not allow him to express his deepest thoughts and only the expression of his deepest thoughts could tell what he felt towards the children and the parents among whom he had laboured for seventeen years. He had Iflved the work and j loved the children, and in Lower Hutt' his lines had been cast in pleasant places, for the people seemed to think that nothing was too good for them to do for the Eastern Hutt School. There had only been three chairmen of the committee —Mr. Henry Baldwin, the largest hearted and most generous man he had ever met, Mr. R. House, whose interest in the school never flagged, and Mr. W. V. Dyer, of whom it would take too long to record what he and his wife had done for the school. He hoped something of what had been said about him was true, for he had always tried to realise that character building was more important than the three R's. Mr. M'Bain expressed thanks to the staff, present and past, who had loyally cooperated with him. The handsome gift, for which he thanked them, was not necessary as a reminder of all the kindness he had received from Lower Hutt residents. Mr. M'Bain paid a tribute to the assistance he had received from Mrs. M'Bain in his life's work. During the evening musical items were priven by Mrs. Burgess, Miss Guise, and Messrs. Flanagan, House, and Fordie. Yesterday afternoon at the Eastern Hutt School the lower standards of the school presented Mr. M'Bain with a handsome pedestal electric lamp. Mr. H. S. Dudding, in the absence of Mr. \V. V. Dyer, presided. •> Master Perno, on behalf of the children, thanked Mr. M'Bain for all he had done for the school and the children. The presentation was made by Mary Gray. Mr. M'Bain. in his reply, said there was present a great granddaughter of his first headmaster. He spoke of the growth of the school and thanked the committee, parents, teachers, and children for their co-operation. EFFECTIVE SELLING FORCE ♦ "From past experience with every conceivable form of retail promotion and advertising, 1 believe that newspaper promotion is the best and cheapest," said Mr. Kussell K. Lowry, retail sales promotion and advertising manager of Montgomery, Ward, and Co. ''While we use every form of legitimate advertising and promotion to some degree, depending upon the sales problem before us, we consider newspaper advertising to be the backbone of every successful retail selling job," said Mr. Lowry. "During the past year, Montgomery, Ward, and Co. has increased its newspaper linage by 40 per cent." Mr. Lowry's appointment to the new positiou follows nine months' successful work as advertising manager for the Montgomery, Ward retail stores. In addition to his past responsibilities, which have included the direction of newspaper advertising for the 560 retail stores, Mr. Lowry now takes over the work of sales planning and direction of all sales promotional activities and advertising used by Ward stores. The petition of L. A. Bond, of Wellington, praying that he be appointed to the permanent staff of the Government Printing and Stationery Department, :md that his past • services be taken into account has been recommended to the Government, by the committee.to which it was referred, for favourable- recommendation.