A POPULAR RAILWAYMAN.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 2161, 23 February 1914, Page 5

A POPULAR RAILWAYMAN.

A pleasant gathering of railwaymen was held in the social room of the Masonic Hotel on Saturday evening for .the purpose of saying* farewell to Enginedriver H. Downey, who has retired on superannuation. During the evening a presentation of a travelling bag and rug was handed to Mr Downey by the chairman (Mr Boden). In making the presentation, the chairman referred td the fact that with the exception of a few short intervals, the whole of Mr Downey's service, of practically 40 years in the Loeo Department, had been spent in Palmerston. During that time he bad been called on to'fill his position with credit to himself and satisfaction to the Department. He said that the guest of the evening had originally worked for the contractor who built the railway, and later joined the service, and had seen the railway business grow from the small station and engine shed in the Square to its | present position as one of the largest and most important junctions in the Dominion. On behalf of the railwaymen the chairman wished Mr and Mrs Downey long life and health in their retirement and expressed the wish that on their return from their trip abroad they would settle in Palmerston. The toast was spoken to in an eulogistic manner by other members of the service, and also by Mr Yortt, of the A.O.F. Mr Yortt qaid it gave him great pleasure to be present and pointed out, that in addition to being a good railwayman, Mr Downey had also been a good citizen. He said Mr Downey had been a charter member of the local Court of the A.O.F. and was still £.n active member and he hoped that he would return from his trip and spend the evening of his days among his old friends in Palmerston. Mr Downey, in reply, thanked all for the many kind things said about him. *He doubted - if he deserved them all but hoped .to return to Palmerston in the future. He contrasted the difference in the railways of to-day to what they were when he started, and hoped that all the railwaymen present would be spared to retire on superannuation like he was doing. It is Mr and Mrs Downey's intention to visit Australia and South Africa to stay with members of their family now living there, and they leave by' the Auckland express on Monday. . During the evening songs were rendered by Messrs Pascoe, Perrin, Curtz, Allingham, Boden, and Garner. Prior to the function starting the chairman expressed the regret of those present at the death that had occurred in the family of one of their members, and the start was delayed ten minutes as a mark of respect. It was pointed out that as Mr and Mrs Downey were leaving on Monday, there was no other time for the function to be held, so it was proceeded with, but considerably curtailed.