Presentation to Mr. Joe Cowie

Northland Age, Volume XII, Issue 43, 5 August 1943, Page 1

Presentation to Mr. Joe Cowie

The pupils and staff of the Kaitaia District High School, together with a large number of parents, were assembled in the A. and P. Hall, Kaitaia o A the afternoon of July 28 when Mr. Joe Cowie was presented with a suitably inscribed clock and a cheque to mark his retirement from the position of school bus contractor after many years service. Mrs. Cowie, who accompanied her husband on the platform, was presented with a bouquet by Betty Holder, after which Mr. L. Pettit, chairman of the School Committee, said that this was the first and no doubt the last presentation to a school bus contractor as th<s Government had taken over the service

The Committee, said Mr. Pettit, considered it unthinkable to allow Mr. Cowie to retire without some recognition of his services and he wished to thank the Headmaster for organ-'.-'ing the whole thing arid the parents for the subscriptions which had made it possible. Tracing back the history of Mr. Cowie’s activities to the time when children were transported in a horse waggon, he said that for years Mr. Cowie had carried parcels free and poor parents for nothing, and had really been a most imposed upon public benefactor. He urged the children to follow such an example of disinterested service given without thought of payment or praise. Mr. J. T. B. Taaffe said it was a piivilege to join in paying tribute to his friend and the children’s friend, Mr. Cowie, who had always been known for his generosity and readiness to help. A hand injury such as had been suffered by Mr. Cowie would have got most men down but he had never lost his smile or cheerfulness. Major L. A. Mclntosh paid a tribute to Mr. Cowie’s services as Company Sgt.-Major in the Home Guard and expressed sympathy with him on account of his accident which, although not received in battle, was nevertheless received in the service of his country. Mr. Arthur Bell, representing the Old Pupils Association, wished Mr. Cowie every future happiness. Mr. A. W. Bird (Headmaster) conveyed the good wishes of the staff and school children, and called upon Shirley Subritzky and Hilary Parker to make the presentation. Mr. Cowie in returning thanks said this was the worst ordeal of his life, but he thanked them for the wonderful gift and appreciated to the full the thought which inspired it. He had been associated with school children for many years, having been secretary of a school committee in Scotland before coming to New Zealand, and regretted very much being unable i to drive them any longer, a job which he had always enjoyed very much. He thanked the school staff for their past assistance and co-operation and thanked everyone on behalf of his wife and himself. The singing of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” brought the ceremony to a close. NORTHERN MAORI ELECTION Major W. K. Porter has announced that he intends to contest the Northern Maori seat as a Labour candidate. Aged 27, Major Porter recently returned from service overseas with the Maori Battalion. He was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in the field in 1941 and received a bar to the cross the following year for conspicuous gallantry and leadership. The official Labour candidate for Northern Maori has not yet been selected.