"GRAND OLD MAN”

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12404, 25 March 1926, Page 6

"GRAND OLD MAN”

RETIREMENT OF MR AMES SERVICES EULOGISED BY MAYOR INCIDENTS IN CAREER A “grand old man” was the description the Mayor (Mr O. J. B. Norwood) applied to Mr James Ames, the valuer and returning officer to the Wellington City Council, who is resigning after almost sixty years’ service. Mr Norwood said tliat Mr Ames had been a capable and most’ loyal public servant. He had entered the service of the city on November 15th, 1867, and it-was a fact that he had conducted the election of all Mayors and councillors the city had ever known, and it was “doubtful whether anv public servant in the Dominion could claim such a laudable distinction of service. Mr Ames had always displayed almost uncanny natural ability as a valuer, and even to-day he was going about his work in a smart and business-like manner.

“I am pleased to be able to say,” continued the Mayor, “that although Mr Ames had reached the ripe age of 85 years he has assured me that he intends to complete the adjustment of the values in land, and also deal with the many new leases that are now falling due. “Mv colleagues all Tegret that such a long term of faithful service has oome to an end, and all realise the value of Mr Ames’s work to the citv. We all hope that he will enjoy a wellearned rest.” When Mr Ames joined the City Council’s services as a clerk in the office of

the Town Board the staff consisted of the clerk of the board, Mr John Rigg, Mr Ames, clerk, and rates collector, Mr Nicholas Marchant, engineer on half time and a messenger. In 1870 when the town became a municiaplity, Mr Ames was appointed city valuer and returning officer, an additional officer being appointed rate collector in the person of Mr Sol Levy. ONE MAN SHOW. About the year 1872 the council retrenched the staff by dispensing with the servioes of the messenger; and almost immediately thereafter the town clerk, Mr Rigg, resigned, leaving Mr Ames to carry out all the duties formerly carried out bv the three persons The then Mayor, Mr Dransfield, on arriving one Saturday morning at the office at 10 o'clock found it dosed, and called afterwards on Mr Ames to express his dissatisfaction at the latter’s late hour of arriving at the office. Mr Ames pointed out that he had closed fTie office in order to deposit money in the bank, amounting to £BOO. this being the takings accumulated during the week, and which he had not been able to lodge before owing to no one being able to take his place. The Mayor then called a special meeting of the council which decided to reinstate the messenger. When Mr Ames commenced duty the population was ab<?ut 7000, whereas it is new 27,370.