PRESENTATION TO MR W. P STREET.

Otago Witness, Issue 1340, 4 August 1877, Page 7

PRESENTATION TO MR W. P STREET.

In the Dunedin Resident Magistrate's Comt House on Saturday afternoon, Mr W. P. Street (who recently resigned bis position as Chief Clerk of the Court for the purpose of commencing business on his own account) was presented with a purse of 50 sovereigns by Mr John Bathgate, R.M., on behalf of the Bar of the City. Among those present were Messrs H. Jbioworth G. K. Turton, C. C. Kettle, J. Sinclair,' E. Cook, Joyce, Adams, A. Bathgate, C. R. Chapman, J. Callan, E. Hay, J. E. Harris, W. Hislop, and J. R. P. Stamper. Mr Bathgate said that since he came into Court he had been asked to perform a duty pleasing in itself, but which, perhaps, would have been better at tho hands of the leader of the Bar, Mr G. Cook, who had agreed to undertake it, but, unfortunately, circumstances prevented him from being present, and therefore he (Mr Bathgate) had been asked to do the duty as his locum tenens. His Worship joined with his brethren of the Bar in bearing willing testimony to the propriety of so spontaneous a movement as that of presenting a testimonial to Mr Street, in acknowledgment of their good opinion of his services as Clerk of this Court. He believed that the movement was entirely spontaneous— it was one of the best kind. It had sprung from the members of the Bar themselves, from the sense they entertained of the ability and fairness and attention with which Mr Street had discharged all his duties as Clerk of this Court. —(Hear.) The Clerk's duties were of an arduous kind, and peculiar, especially with regard to the taxation of costs. — (Laughter!) His Worship could bear witness, during the four years he had presided over the Resident Magistrate's Court, and also as Judge of the District Court, to Mr Street's reliability in the discharge of all his duties, which were carefully and faithfully performed. Everything in his relation to Mr Street had gone on with the utmost cordiality and smoothness. During tha 16 years that Mr Street had been in this Court, his Worship's esteemed predecessor (Mr A. C. Strode) had given Mr Street warm confidence' and would do everything in his power to promote Mr Street's advancement in life. If he remained in the Government service,-the utmost he could look for after a long life in the discharge of his duties was not more than L4OO a year. Now, a man had very small brains and taleiit if he could not realise more than L4OO a-year in a new country like this. Therefore, Mr Street had done well in leaving the honourable enough position of Chief Clerk for remuneration in business among the mercantile community. In handing a purse containing 50 sovereigns to Mr Street, His Worship expressed

his belief that the recipient would have a very successful career if in the discharge of his new duties he showed the same ability, the same reliability, the same attention to business, and the same courtesy that had previously distinguished him. — (Applause.) Mr ' Street, iv briefly acknowledging the compliment, said that the presence of so many, of ihe profession was of far greater value, and gave him greater pleasure, than the purse of sovereigns. In connection with his official duties, there was not a day that he could remember when he had any serious difficulty with any of the gentlemen present. He was conscious that he had performed his duties faithfully to the Court, to the Bay, and to the public generally ; and he believed that he always nadMrßathgate's consideration and good wishes Having thanked the profession for their kindness and the honour they had conferred upon him, Mr Street said he trusted thafc in his future career in the commercial world the same cordiality would continue to exist between himself and them.