RAILWAYMEN’S SOCIAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 August 1929, Page 5

RAILWAYMEN’S SOCIAL

MR J. PEARSON HONOURED.

About fifty members of the Railway staffs in the district attended a complimentary smoke concert tendered last evening to Mr J. Pearson, who has retired upon superannuation after 40 years’ service, of which 19J years have been bn the Coast. The gathering took place in the Railway Recreation Hall which had been decorated for the occasion. The stationmaster (Mr J. Fowler) presided. Mr Donaldson played the piano accompaniments for a number of songs contributed during the evening, and several instrumentalists also contributed largely to the success of the evening.

After the loyal toast, Mr Torrance proposed that of “The Railways.” He said that after reading the Budget he thought that the railways would be lucky if they got much more in allocations than they had. It was recognised that transport was an important factor, and there must be both railway and motor vehicle. At one time the railways were run as a paying proposition, but now it was largely for development purposes.

The response was made by Mr Raleigh, who referred to the handicap of non-paying branch lines, but who was optimistic that the railways would come into their own again in the competitive race with motor traffic. Mr W. T. Rose proposed the toast of the Railway Officers’ Institute, which was doing great v/ork for members; and he' considered that it was lamentable that so many apologies for absence of members were forthcoming at meetings. It behoved all to put their shoulders to the wheel. He contended that the merit cause left the way open for favouritism. Further, with the numbers coming from overseas, men could not hope for the opportunity of getting to the top of the ladder so long as the merit clause operated.

Mr W. Craw respondent and traced the history of the Institute since its inauguration in 1895, prior to which time a man with a grievance had to fight his own battles unaided. He eulogised the present Executive as being a live and fearless body, and he appreciated the fact that the General Manager always gave a clear-cut answer to whatever was submitted to him. The speaker gave a resume of the recent conference in Wellington with the General Manager and outlined some of the reforms obtained.

When proposing the toast of “Sport” Mr Dennehy mentioned Jack Steele and Lilburne, the All Blacks, Cleverley, the boxer who went to the Olympic games, and “Twist” Jaggers, the Canterbury light-weight boxing champion, as a few railwaymen prominent in sport who were well known to his hearers.

Mr Brown responded on behalf of football, Mr Kempton for cricket, and Mr J. Brislane for bowls. The principal toast of the evening was proposed by the Chairman, and it was honoured enthusiasticaly. Having known Mr Pearson for' a number of years, Mr Fowler was able to say that the retiring official had been always painstaking and conscientious in his work. Upon his retirement his fellowworkers had felt that they should give him some gift as a tangible expression of the goodwill towards him of members of the staff. The speaker then presented Mr Pearson with a handsome oak chiming clock, suitably inscribed, and also with a comfortable armchair, and wished the retiring official and his wife and family every happiness in the future.

A number of other officers also spoke expressing the goodwill of the various branches with all of which Mr Pearson had been connected. Mr Bassett mentioned that Mr Pearson’s duties as chief station clerk and paymaster were not all “plum and apple sauce.” Mr Fairburn said that their guest was a very popular man and on every second Friday he had been the most popular on the staff. Messrs W. T. Rose, Dew, Eggleton, Raleigh, Brislane, Bateman, Simmons, Gembitsky, and Turner all expressed felicitations to Mr Pearson upon completion of his service and the hope that he would live for many years to enjoy his well-earned superannuation. Upon rising to respond, Mr Pearson

was loudly acclaimed. He said that he could not yet realise that he had f come to the end of his railway career. Although on leave at present he would wake up one morning soon and find himself out of a job, and he might then look round quietly for another one. He had joined the service in January, 1889, when Mr J. P. Maxwell was General Manager, but that year the system was changed, and three Commissioners were appointed. They remained in power until Mr Seddon appointed the late Mr T. Ronayne to take charge. His (the speaker’s) first duties included running messages to the goods office in Rattray Street, Dunedin, and later to Caversham, where on wet days the trains invariably slipped through pie station and stopped near the Gasworks. Consequently the young member of the First Division included in his duties shoveling sand on to the rails for a hundred yards or so along the approach to the stopping place. Subsequently he was stationmaster at Purakanui, which is a job now done by a tablet porter. He came to the Coast on Febrary 8, 1910, and his first job in Greymouth was booking clerk, and then he was chief clerk of the goods office. Of more recent years he had been station clerk and paymaster. The speaker declared that he had not borne any ill-will towards'anyone with whom he had served, and he quite re-

cognised that he was popular enough on pay-days. Mr Pearson said that although he had to put the “blisters” for misdemeanour through his office they did not in the majority of cases emanate from him. He had always endeavoured to “do his bit,” and, if he could not do a man a good turn, had tried not to do a man a bad one. In conclusion, he thanked his colleagues heartily on behalf of Mrs Pearson and himself for the handsome presentations which had been made. Musical honours and cheers were given for the guest, and after the health of superannuated members had been toasted and acknowledged and also that of the musicians and entertainers, who included Messrs Bassett, Ford, Clark and Leach, a pleasant gathering was brought to a close in the customary manner.