VALEDICTORY

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3440, 8 March 1932, Page 5

VALEDICTORY

POPULAR RAILWAY OFFICER. FAREWELLED BY FELLOWWORKERS. One of the most representative gatherings of railwaymen seen in Te Kuiti for some time was held in the Railway Social Hall on Saturday night, when there was an attendance of about 50, in addition to a number of business men, to bid farewell to Messrs. W. J. Thompson, R. H. Pickering, and A. G. Collett. Mr. C. S. Reynolds, who had to leave in the early part of the day for Onehunga, was not present. Mr. Thompson, who has been acting stationmaster at Te Kuiti, has been appointed to the same office permanently at Rotorua; Mr. Pickering takes up the position of S.M. at Waitara; Mr. Collett, inspector of permanent ways for this section, has been transferred to the Tauranga section, and Mr. Reynolds has been promoted to Onehunga. The large gathering and the remarks passed during the evening was a great tribute to the high regard in which the departing guests were held by their fellow workers. M. H. J. McCarthy was in the chair and called upon Mr. E. Tapp to propose the first toast of "The Railwaymen." Mr. Tapp said that he had had a long connection with railwaymen, both socially and in business, and could not hope to meet with a finer lot of men. Though Te Kuiti was a small station, the speaker considered that business men received more attention and greater civility than in the larger towns. The reply was by Mr. Bullock, who said that the railways were experienced a lean time through the competition from the motor traffic. Sometimes the public "were hard to deal with, and Mr. Bullock related some of his own experiences ins a most humorous strain. In proposing "The Carriers," Mr. L. Towers paid a fine tribute to the cooperation of the carriers with railwaymen, both in business and lyThe responses were by Messrs. E. J. Peterson and J. Henderson, both of whom expressed the hope that the fine spirit that prevailed between the carriers and railwaymen would long continue.

Mr. R. Rolton proposed the toast of'"Stock Agents and Drovers," and said that if it were not for the stock agents this station would never have reached its present grade. There was ho doubt that the number of stock leaving Te Kuiti had fallen away, but the speaker hoped that with better times, this would be rectified. The replies were by Messrs. G. Bennett and G. W. Revell, both of whom referred in a humorous strain to the virtues and shortcomings of railwaymen in general. The chairman then presented to the departing guests tokens of esteem from the different sections of the local service. In asking Mr. Collett to accept a handsome rug from the staff of the permanent way and a pipe from the Te Kuiti station staff, the chairman stated that permanent way men from Frahkton" to Taumarunui had joined in the presentation of the rug. During Mr. Collett's service in this section it had been the opinion of those under him that he had been fair to the men and- fair to the department, and he carried with him the best wishes for himself and Mrs. Collett in their new home. The chairman's remarks were endorsed by Messrs. E. J. Peterson, Moonie, Rolton and Snelgar, all of whom paid a tribute to Mr. Collett from a departmental as well as social point of view. In asking Mr. Thompson to accept from the station staff, both inside and outside, the chairman stated that during his six years in Te Kuiti Mr. Thompson had earned the respect and good feeling of all railwaymen of whatever grade. Mr. Thompson had always been approachable, and many of the men had to thank him for putting them on the right path. It had been a bye-word in the railway that when anything went wrong to "See Mr. Thompson; he'll put it right." Mr. Thompson would always put himself out to help any railwaymen. All those present were glad that Mr. Thompson was receiving promotion, though they regretted his departure, but both Mr. Thompson and his wife carried with them the best wishes of the whole of the railway staff for their future prosperity. The chairman presented to Mr. Pickering an Eyersharp pencil and silver cigarette holder and said that Mr. Pickering had gained well earned promotion in being appointed stationmaster at Waitara. He had always been a tactful and popular officer, both with the staff and the public, and his place would be hard to fill. The chairman's remarks regarding Messrs. Thompson and Pickering were endorsed by Messrs. Rolton, Walsh, Craig, Tapp, Grant, Surrey, Bullock, Moonie, Smith, Towers, Schumacher, Randle, Blake, Sheehan, Corlett, Bennett, Benson, Peploe, Horn, Dennehy, Morgan and Reid. That Mr. Thompson was held in the highest regard by all sections of the service in this district was evidenced by the remarks of the speakers. The same applied to Mr. Pickering, who came in for special mention for the work he had done on behalf of the Railway Cricket Club and the Railway Tennis Club. Reference was also made by several speakers to the help given by Mrs. Pickering in cases of illness in Railway Town and the many kindly actions in this way carried out by Mrs. Pickering. In thanking those present for the presentation, Mr. Collett said that it was a surprise to him, as he had only been a short time in the district. He thanked his staff for the way they had met him in carrying out his duties. The last 12 months had been a strenuous time for men of the permanent way, but they had always carried out their duties most loyally. In returning thanks for the presentation made to him, Mr. Thompson said he treasured more than that the kindly feeling shown him by the railwaymen. He did not want to leave Te Kuiti, but he had his orders to go to Rotorua and he must obey. During his six years in Te Kuiti he had gained a lot of experience and a lot of pleasure, and he thanked the whole staff for their hearty co-operation when carrying out his duties.

Mr; Bickering said he would always remember the time he had been in Te Kuiti, and was pleased to know that his services had been appreciated. Whatever he had done, both from a departmental and social point of view had been a willing service, and was made a pleasure by the co-opera-tion of his fellow-workers.

Other toasts were "The Press," proposed by Mr. J. Walsh, and "The Chairman," proposed by Mr. Thompson.

During the evening musical and other items were rendered by Messrs. Ryder, Whitton. Edmonds. Snelgar, Henderson, Bullock, McAneny, and Sheehan. Mr. Whitton was a efficient occompanist. On the motion of the chairman a hearty vote of thanks was accorded these performers by acclamation. A most enjoyable function closed with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne."