VALEDICTORY

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 March 1924, Page 3

VALEDICTORY

MR. A. H. PATERSON.

Further evidence of the esteem in which Mr. A. H. Patersdn, who left by to-day’s express to enter into a legal practice in Christchurch, is held was forthcoming yesterday afternoon when he was the subject of three more presentation ceremonies. A pleasant function took place early in the afternqon when the law clerks of Greymouth met Mr. Pater- ' son in the Law Society’s rooms and presented him with a gold-mounted cigarette holder in a silver case. Mr. T. Ryan, as spokesman for the gathering, stated that the relations between Mr. Paterson and the law clerks had always been of a very cordial nature. Mr. Paterson was a model of courtesy and good nature and had always tried to make the road easy for others, even if in the process he made it a bit difficult for himself. Mr. Paterson thanked them for their good wishes and said that anything he had done to help the law clerks was well reciprocated by their willingness at all times to co-operate with himsef and other members of the bar. Later in the same room Mr. Paterson’s colleagues of the Greymouth bar gathered to do him honour. Mr. W. J. Joyce, president of the Law Society, who presided, asked Mr. Paterson to accept as a token of the esteem of local practitioners, a goldmounted fountain pen. It was not the intrinsic value of the gift that mattered, said Mr.. Joyce, so much as the sincere good wishes that went with 'it. Mr. Paterson had during his sojourn in Greymouth, been most courteous and obliging to his brother practitioners and now that he was about to enter into practice in Christchurch, they wished him every success and hoped that with the pen the Society, had presented him he would sign many bills of costs. (Laughter). Messrs J. W. Hannan, F. A. Kitchingham, G. Revell, T. E. Y. Seddon, and W. P. McCarthy added their tributes to Mr. Paterson’s courtesy and upright character. Mr. Paterson in reply thanked the Society for their good wishes. His four years on the Coast had been four of the happiest years in his life. He had met many friends and had seen much of the Coast and he was going to do his utmost to ensure that due publicity was given to the splendid scenery of the district. A presentation of a shaving outfit was made by the Caledonian Society, with which Mr. Paterson has been closely identified since his arrival in

Greymouth. Chief 0. McLean, in making the presentation said that Mr. Patterson had been a valuable member' of the Society and his loss was something of a blow to the members. That did not deter them, however, from wishing Mr. Paterson every success in the future. Mr. Paterson in reply said that what he ha.d done for the Society had always been a distinct r pleasure to him and he hoped that the members would continue to take- a keen inters est in the splendid objects of the Society.