LATE BOROUGH ENGINEER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3997, 30 July 1913, Page 6

LATE BOROUGH ENGINEER.

FAREAVELLED BY THE COUNCIL v STAFF- . vILLUMINATED ADDRESS FROM 100 EMPLOYEES. Upwards of GO employees of the Gisborne Borough Council assembled at the Masonic Hotel last evening for the purpose of fa rewelling Mr. A. J. Paterson, late borough engineer, who, with Mrs. Paterson and family, leaves for Wellington this evening. Mr. AV. H. Buswell, borough electrical engineer, presided, and stated that they had met that evening to say good-bye to Mr. Paterson on the eve of his departure from Gisborne. The members of the staff had all been unanimous that Mr. Paterson should not be allowed to leave the town without an expression of the high regard m which he was held by those who, had worked under him. He said that every member of the staff felt _ grateful to Mr. Paterson for the consideration lie had extended to the men under him during his two and a-half years’ occupancy of the borough engin'eership. They had decided to make a. presentation of an everlasting kind to Mr. Paterson in the form of an illuminated address, and this had been signed by over ' 100 of the borough employees. Mr. Buswell then presented Mr. Paterson with the following address, handsomely framed, and artistically illuminated by Mr. F. H. Forge,:— “To Mr. Andrew J. Paterson, Engineer. AVe, the undersigned workers on the staff of tbo Gisborne Borough Council, desire to convey to you our appreciaion of your ability as an engineer, and our expression of deep regard for the man we felt it a privilege to work with, t Our sincere good wishes for your future welfare and happiness will be with you, Mrs-. Paterson, and children always,.”

The address boro the signatures of the heads of the different departments and some 100 borough employees. Mr. Bnswell also asked Mr. Paterson to accept for Mrs. Paterson a chaste pearl and amethyst pendant and gold chain. Mr. J. Crcmbic, overseer of the borough waterworks gang, also presented Mr. Paterson with a handsome ambermounted briar pipe. Mr. Howard, borough draughtsman, said as one who had travelled about the world a gocd deal, he had come-to it aye a J'igh regard for things that were clean. His recollections of Mr. Paterson would be associated with cleanliness, honesty of purpose, and integrity (Applause.) “Wherever you go,‘Mr. Paterson,” he concluded, “you will have the heartfelt wishes or all who have worked under you, and wo won’t say that we wish you wealth, but—happiness.” (Loud applause.) Mr. J. Hay, on behalf of the wator-J works department, said that ho hac* always found Mr. Paterson O.K. t| work with, and he hoped that wherf over he went he would retain the same cordial feelings that were felt for him 5 here. Mr. F. IT. Forgo said he had worked under Mr. Paterson for three years in Wellington, and almost the same time in Gisborne, and bad a’ways found him a “white man.” He was always ready to stand by the men under him in trouble, and tbe latter could always rely on having the stalwart form and personality of Mr. Paterson between them and the pin-pih'ks which came from the British public. (Applause.) Mr. F. Gumming,’ on behalf of iiio office staff, said lie had always found Mr Paterson one of the best men in the" world to get on with. He wished him long life, healthy and prosperity in the future. Mr. C. it. Spragg, abattoirs manager, said ho had always felt that Mr,. Paterson was one of those solid, honest men that one could work with. Confucius had said “a man’s glory lies not in falling, but in rising every time he falls,” and he was sure that Mr. Paterson would rise again. (Applause.) Mr. Stewart, plumbing inspector, said that he had known Mr. Paterson for six years, and felt very much losing his valued counsel Mr. Lafferty, chief clerk at the borough yards, said that he had worked under Mr. Paterson for eight years, and nothing would give him greater pleasure than to work under him again. (Applause.) Messrs. C. H. Ferris (sanitary inspector), A. M. Pickford (building inspector), G. T. Wilson (engineer at tne power-housg), Lancaster, and A. Williamson (chief mechanical engineer), W. Cross (motorman), LL G. Ogior, and F. Fleming, all paid high tributes to Mr. Paterson’s ability as an engineer and consideration to the staff. Mr. Paterson’s health was then toasted with musical honors, amidst much enthusiasm. Mr. Paterson, on rising to respond, was received with very hearty applause. He said that he retained nothing but the kindliest feelings of the long and strenuous fight they had had during the past three and a-lialf years. He thanked them on behalf of Mrs. Paterson and himself for the presentations which had been made that evening. The address was particularly valued by him, as it was a. tangible and everlasting' tribute written by each man’s own hand. As captain of the borough team, if he had not been backed up by the staff, they could not have carried the game to finality during the past two and a-lialf years. Mistakes may have been made during his term of office, but he had been blamed for more than his share. For instance, the staff had been blamed for the state of the roads, but the vote for this had been little short of farcical—it was comic opera. He had joshed the administrator to go slow, knowing that the works were grossly underestimated. But what was the result? In order to provide work the Council had decided to start the now historical Stanley Road septic tank in the middle of winter, in order that working men might have more spending power. He had poignant feelings of going homes from the tank at 2 and 3 o’clock in the morning, wet and cold, after wrestling all night with the problem of tho tank. The fight which thev had just come through had resulted in ripened experience to the staff. It was essential that co-operation'and coordination must exist, or there would he chaos. The average man in the street was like one of. the men mentioned in the Bible, who goes and buries his talents—mostly in beer and usually in backbiting. They had, however, to answer only to their own consciences. The man 'in the street’s opinion was nothing to him. “Your good opinion is more to me,” said Mr. Paterson. Me had done his best in the hurry. Every time the staff lind been in rough seas reference to the head adminstrator liac] always shown a rift in tho clouds. He thanked them for their 'kindness, and said that lie had the satisfaction of having carried out the advice of his late chief, Mr. AV. Morton, of AAMdlington—“Always do what’s right.” (Applause.) The chairman then proposed the health of the ox-Mayor (Mr, AA r . Pettie), which was received with enthusiam. _ j In responding, Mr. Pottie said that it was a. great pleasure to him to be present, and hear the expressions of tho head® of the various departments controlled by Mr. Paterson during the past two years. To him who had been at the head, it was a pleasant thing to see the harmony which existed between Mr. Paterson and The staff. It was impossible to have efficient administration unless there existed good feeling. He knew that, Mr. Paterson had the confidence of the staff, and knew that (he was a man whose judgment could be relied upon. Working

every department as economically as possible had been Mr. Paterson’s first consideration: He had had a work of herculean character to carry out, and had had five Or six propositions to carry out, any one of which was a big undertaking in itself. It was a great pleasure to him to hear the heads of tho various departments say that it had been a pleasure to carry out Mr. Paterson’s instructions. Mr. Paterson would ascend, and later they would hear of him coming to the top. During his whole term of office Mr. Paterson did not care what time he worked in tho interests of the borough. With the late. Engineer and the Town Clerk his (Mr. Pettie’s) duties had been made light. Mr. Paterson then proposed “The Future Success, and Health, Wealth, and Prosperity to the City of Gisborne . ’ ’ Mr. J. F. Pettis, in responding, said: “On behalf of tho 10,000 citizens of Gjsborne, I can only say that I hopo the citizens of‘Gisborne will select as good an engineer as Mr. Paterson.” (Applause.) Those present then took leave of tho guest of the evening, and a most enthusiastic gathering terminated.