Veteran Sawmillers Honoured At Hokitika Function

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 September 1949, Page 2

Veteran Sawmillers Honoured At Hokitika Function

A function believed to be unique in New Zealand was held at Hokitika on Wednesday evening, when a representative gathering of members of the West Coast Sawmillers’ Association met to pay' tribute to nine veterans of the sawmilling industry on the West Coast, each of whom had pass/ed the 70 years of age mark, and had spent a life-time in the industry. The guest of honour was Mr Jim Jack,"who had recently celebrated his 80th birthday and who is believed to be the oldest sawmiller in the South Island. Mr Jack came to the West Coast in 1900 from Southland, where his father was a sawmiller, and has spent over 70 years- in the industry. His son is now operating a mill at Greenstone. Nine Veterans

The nine veterans honoured were: Messrs J. Jack, D. P. Stuart, J. Gilbert, G. H. Chapman, D. Reece, J. Donaldson, G. H. Gibson, T. Daly and P. Daly. Mr Stuart was unfortunately unable to attend, but members of the association visited him in . the afternoon at the Westland Hospital. Comment wasl made at the gathering that it was the “youngest” group of veterans seen together in years. The toast to the guest of honour was proposed by the president of the West Coast Sawmillers’ Association, Mr A. L. McKay, who congratulated Mr Jack on his good health at his 80th birthday. Mr Jack replied. Mr J. A. Marshall proposed the toast to the veterans and each veteran in turn responded, relating many historical incidents to the gathering. Among visitors from all parts of the South Island were Mr L. E. .H. Baigent, president of the Dominion Federation of Sawmillers, and the secretary, Mr A. Seed; four members of the Southland Sawmillers Guild, Messrs H. Rout, J. Mclntyre, J. Williams and J. Kilkelly; also Mr P. _A. Reveirs, representing the district Conservator of Forests, Mr R. B. Col-. lett. Outstanding Feature An outstanding feature of the dinner was the way in which the dining. room was decorated. True to the ■ title of the gathering, a “bush” | atmosphere was created by great bowls of greenery placed around the j room. A novel feature also was the green crepe paper cut in the shape of cross-cut saws, which were attached to the edges of the mirrored walls. To complete the forest atmosphere, those present had for their buttonholes sprigs of. greenery and a placard in sawn log printing read “West Coast sawmillers pay tribute to the veterans of the industry.” During their stay, the Southland visitors were shown over the two largest mills on the West Coast, that of Butler Brothers Ltd, at Ruatapu, and Stuart and Chapman’s mill at Ross. Visits were also made to the Kaniere dredge and the Greenstone Sawmilling Company’s mill. The party studied the overhead bush workings at Ogilvie’s mill yesterday morning.