OTAGO DAILY TIMES AND WITNESS SOCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12737, 10 August 1903, Page 7

OTAGO DAILY TIMES AND WITNESS SOCIAL.

In the still watches of tho night, whilo the city.around io slumbering, a great newspaper office is the sc;no of light and bustle, and they that labour'in that abode of mystery—in which thero is not.only.a "devil" but also a chapelare to somo extent barred by the exigencies of' their profession Iron , partaking in tho social pleasures of their fellow men; but onco annually, in the case ot the employees of tho Otago Daily Times and- Witness Newspapers Company! .they assemble at a little; social gathering of"'their own, and on Saturday evening the scene-of I 'festivity was'the Victoria Hall. There were representatives of the directorate, the editorial nnd literary ttofia, noid the commercial, ' reading, composing, stereotyping, : machinist, jobbing, photographic, canvassing, a-fad' publishing staffs present with their "respective wives, sister - (or somebody eke's'eisters), and the whole made ut-.a large assembly, which enjoyed itself to the utmost in the'short time avajlabl' between 7.30 and' midnight. ."And the night shall be filled with music, and the carps that infest ; the day shallfold up their tents.liko the Arabs and as silently steal-away, 1, seemed to be tho'inotU. of tho evening; and it was bourne out in full measure, dancing being the order of the day, jr rather night, and cards, etc., wovo provided for thoso grave and 'reverend seigneurs' whose dancing days wero bver. During an interval ifi the doncing, tho .managing director (Mr Cr. Fenwick) was called upon for a speech. In i the course of a, few appropriate remarks/Mr Fenwick expressed his pleasure at seeing so many aud suoh a spirit of enjoyment prevailing.',; He' referred to tho. progiess of the company's operations (lining, tin. past .year and tho extensive alterations and additions to the buildings and plant. He was glad to say the improvements had meant the increased com.fort of the staff, and all were thankful to tho board of directors, wbich had had the comfort of its employees primarily in view.' He referred .ty tho loss both the company, and employees had sustained in. the death of Mr David Little, who had a record of 40 continuous years in the company's service. In that connection, said Mi Fenwiclc, it was interesting to note that there were now , employed four ; who had been ova. 80 years in the service, U over 25 years, 25 over 20 years, and 40 over 15 years,—(Applause.): Ho thought that was a proud record for any .company, ; aajd he did not think there was finy'corpora-tion in tho. colony which could put forward such statistics.—(Applause.) In" the coimo' of further remarks, ho contrasted, this position with .that indicated in Mr Poster Eraser's book "America at Work," ill which' it was shown how the great factories and , companies employed only young men, and had no room for those who had paEsed the primo of life. Mr Penwick concluded.with a few remarks illustrating the ' progress 'of the company's operations,. producing an interesting relic '(which could not now,bo bought foj ono penny) in the shape, of the fint copy of the first issue of'tho Times,,and closed his address, by expressing hjs' pleasure .'at being present, and his wish to see jiist such'ariother happy gathering next year, . '

'Mr (J. L. Dennist'on (chairman of directors) was then calkd on to tho platform, jud responded, with-.a humorous address, in particularjjf.happy mood,- Ho also referred, io the facts of long service- quoted, by Mr Fenwick, and said both the employees and the directors were'to bo congratulated.. He 'thanked the committee for himself and co-direolors for tho invitation to the gathering, awl wished one'and all every prosperity and happiness., His concluding remaps occasioned so much lnerrimont that the reporter's notebook would not contain it all. • "•■

An adjournment was then made to the supper, room, where Mr Kroon, the caterer, had set forth all things dainty. ■ . , '

• During the evening vocal items were contributed'by Mesda.mes.Paul and Smeaton, and Messrs J. Hutchison and' C. Graham. Messrs Dodds.&nd Bampton acted as M.C.'s, and Messrs Yatea andßeath supplied the music.