PRESENTATION TO MR AND MRS A. D. BELL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1916, 30 October 1890, Page 6

PRESENTATION TO MR AND MRS A. D. BELL.

The employes of Shag Valley station met on Friday evening to present their esteemed employer, Mr A. D. Bell, on his return from his marriage tour, with a testimonial for himself and Mrs Bell, as a mark of the high estimation in which he has ever been held by them. The presentation, which took the form of a handsome silver tea and coffee service, was made by Mr Walter Ross, who, in handing the gift to Mr and Mrs Bell, said that, as he was the oldest hand on the station, he had been asked to undertake the pleasant task that night. For 14 years Mrßellhad been to him always a kind and indulgent master, and during all that time the feeling between himself and Mr Bell had been of the most pleasant nature. He could not find words to express what he would have liked to have said on this occasion, but as Mr Bell had often overlooked his failings hitherto, he had no doubt be would do so on this occasion also. The gift was a spontaneous one from the station employes alone, without any outside assistance, and he thought it spoke more than he could say as to the cordial relations between Mr Bell 'and his servants. He had much pleasure, in the name of the 'manager and employes, in handing Mr and Mrs Bell that small token of their esteem, with many good wishes for their future happiness.

Mr Bell, in replying for himself and Mrs Bell, said he was rather taken by surprise on receiving such a handsome gift from his employes. It gave himself and Mrs Bell (who felt highly flattered at the more than cordial reception she had met with on their arrival the previous evening) very great pleasure to meet them all. To Mrs Bell, who came from a city where at present it seemed that the correct thing was for the servant to take a direct stand against his employer, and where her father, as magistrate, had in his official capacity to hold the balance between the contending parties, it came as a pleasant surprise to come home to a place where the relations between employer and employed were so happy. It was nothing new to him to take par); in similar occasions to the present, as it seemed that no matter whether it was a. Bell going away, a Bell coming back, or a new Bell coming, some kindly mark of their good feeling was always present. He might tell them, in thanking them on behalf of himself and his wife for their gift, that though they had many handsome presents made them on this happy occasion, with the exception of one from England, this was the most valuable of all.

The health of Mr and Mrs Bell having been drunk, and all having partaken of the wedding cake, the men retired, after cordially shaking hands with Mr .and Mrs Bell. The very handsome gift was from the establishment of Messrs G. and T. Young, Dunedin.