A SOLICITOR'S DEPARTURE

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIX, Issue LXIX, 24 May 1915, Page 8

A SOLICITOR'S DEPARTURE

Members of the legal! profession in Haweia met this morning'fo^uvrare- A \veii and to maKe a piestjatatabn to Mt.> R. G. Sejlar, who leaves to-morroW morning on a long hoadaj,. Un behalf ofc his iellow memoes Mr,ft/D.^WeiSli said that they were iaetJ to say farewell to Mr Seliar on the eve of his departure from Haw era In the ten years during wmch Mr ISellar had been engaged in the practice of his profession, he (the. speaker) with all the pther members, bad been brought into close contact with him, and the esteem in which he was held was evidenced by that' meeting. "He remeirbened that Mr Sellar came here, a stranger to the place and to the people, with only slight experience in the profession, and thdt by dint of industry and capacity, he soon became prominent and achieved a leading place. Mr Sellar was a keen fighter, for his clients, but his fighting was always clean and honorable. He considered that to be forced to leave the arena, I owing to ill-health was indeed hard luck. Hd hoped, however, that thechange from sedentary life to one of lest and change would give the health desired. On behalf of his fellow members, he had the greatest pleasure in asking Mr Seliar^s acceptance of a gold watch as a token of the esteem in which he was he'd by them, and in memory of the days when he worked and fought with them,in a,c9mnj^,;.d^t^>^o.-wish^:.- ;- -ed Mr Sellar gooft-])ye. and; GSdspeedy ; ahd'Tiobed ;thU;fr m^ stored he, would retu^^ to-his^owit-country—saf 0, strong and sound. : Mr P, O?Dea;vsaid h^Vfelt he cdtiid not add :niuch'^to.;;,what,yi!fi^.:-.,We'i^i- nad said. ±Ie nad tnown iVir be4ar*for six years, and had often come into conhict witn him. 'ihough tney iiad tougnt J hard, he had the kindliest feenngs towards him, and wished him the best of good fortune in the future. Mr Halliweii said he regretted very much the necessity for Mr fijeiiar^s retirement for reasons of health. He hoped and believed that rest would «s----tatnish Mr Seller's health, and was confident that there was a coigns tuuure in store for him. It was a great gratification to know that Mr.fcJellar en-, joyed the respect and esteem of the pror iesiion, and of the community. He also joined heartily with the otner speakeia in wishing hfra every success, joy and .happiuess in life. Messrs Smart, Foy, Ryan, Caplen, i Thomson and McCarthy also spoke in appreciation of Mr Setlar, and wished hnn all good luck. 1 in reply. Me Sejlar said he felt overI come by all the kind things said of him. It was a pleasure to look back on the past, and to know that none but the best and most cordial feelings existed oetween himself and the other members of the local Bar. Differences? of opinion ( there naturally had oeen, Dut everyone had fought honorably and fairly. He valued tne expressions or" goodwill and encouragement. He had always striven to do his best aiid to his word with his fellow practitioner.*, and hoped he would always do so. He would always treasure their, gift' for its own value as \yell as for the kindly feelings that lay behind it. He was sincerely sorry to go, and left with the kindliest and warmest feelings towards chem all. In conclusion, he once more thanked them all for their kindness and good wishes. The watch is inscrih^d on the front of the case with the initials "R.G.5.," and on the inside: "Presented to R. G. Sellar.. by his fellow-members •of the Bar, Hawera, 25/5/15.'*