VALEDICTORY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10579, 7 October 1910, Page 4

VALEDICTORY.

MR A. M. ARTHUR

There was a representative gathering of jOamaru employees of the. Railway .Department in' the rooiix' this morning, when local members of the Staff met to say good-bye to Mr A- M. 1 Arthur, • chief- clerk of the goods department; who has been transferred to Picton, where he will take up the: duties of stationmaster in chief. Members 'would have preferred to have arranged a more formal farewell, but owing to the fact that the date of Mr Arthur's departure, was-not-known until the last moment this could not bo managed. Mr P. A. Duncan, who made the presentation,. made mention . of. the many friends that Mr Arthur had, showing that; he- possessed merits, and merits . which were appreciated.. He was sure the staff at Oamaru very.much regretted Mr Arthur's dei?arture. For himself,'he would say. that he _ was . -very sorry indeed' to lose his chief clerk, with Whom his relationship had. always been of a most cordial nature. The staff 'would regret his departure for a similar reason. Ho believed that they had got on"'' Very- well with the chief clerk and had always pulled together. He was sorry that Mrs Arthur .was 'not present,, as tho staif would very much haye liked to'make."Clear to her the esteem in which Mr ■■•Arthur was held at Oarnaru. The staff..had asked "him tb convey to Mr Arthur , their best wished for-the success "df .himself, and his wife, and family, and to' voice the general' regret that;'.was felt at his departure.: As : a" very smaii token ; —of goo'd feeling' arid.esteem they asked : his- acceptance of a handsome case .of fruit-knives. ; lii" handing the presentation' to Mr Arthur,' Mr Duncan wished him every prosperity and hoped that whenever he was _ near Oaroarit lie "would pay thern a visit. .Mr Arthur said he could not express •how : grateful he felt—not' merely' for the presentation, -bat most of all for the remarks that had accompanied it in' regard to his 'relations with the staff; "Ke was "quite certain that ajri.y little differences he may have had with any member very- small indeed. As 'an- evidence "of the .goodreeling of the staff .he should value the present very much. He. thoroughly returned their expressions.. cf goodwill, and hoped that any of them who came to Picton would give him a call. . Mr Duncan again expressed the rcfelt' at the absence or Mrs Arthur. The ■ staff, -were greatly ;at the higli...esteern in : winch the v.' ii e of their associate . was he.icV end would .have liked to exDiess that .delight", to, -hor. ; Mi W 'I ■"= cVI Inspector of Permanent ? vVay.,. on behalf of tlij,; maintenance department, said- he hap. never met • a ; -liibre kindly .disposed mail than Mr Arthur:,: He endorsed all that Sir ' Duncan." had said regarding .him Similar-expressions of good-fooling were voiced' for the varipus department" bv Mr. J. Brown, running shod foreriian ' : (lcqo. department), Mr- P. A (;'Jr floods' idi-oman (goods depart•treat), and, Mr: Tv. J. B. .Radford, - : . Mr 'and Mrs Arthur left with their' family- by > thb first;'express north.