PRESENTATION TO MR HENRY CLARE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2539, 12 November 1902, Page 15

PRESENTATION TO MR HENRY CLARE.

Before the Bruce County Council rose Tor the midday adjournment on" the 4th, Cr Clark, who had previously inAnated his intention of not seeking re-election, ieferred in very feeling terms to his severance from the council. It struck him that he had been a member of the council from Ihe very first, and was the only one of the first nine councillors who were elected left. He had been the member for Mount Stuart for 25 yeard, and had latterly been thinking that he should resign in favour of some more active man. Sometimes he had come to the meeting -with the intention of tendering his resignation, but when he had reached the Council Chamber the hearty welcome they had given him, and the kind and genial manner in which they had treated him, had caused him to gi*e up the idea of resigning. A while back he had finally made up his mind that he would resign when it came to the time of election, and that time had come now. A thing ho was thankful for was the confidence the people of Mount Stuart had reposed in him. They had voted him to the position of member for the riding for 26 years, and only on one occasion had there been a contest during the whole of that time. He was a younger man then, and the Bruce County got the name of being a model county, though how it came about he did not know. However, in some respects it deserved that name. They would at least admit that they had a model clerk in Mr Nelson, for whom, when he was appointed, he (Mr Clark) had been most happy to record his vote. Lately Mr Nelson had clone the work of three men, and he (Mr Clark) would ask the council to consider whether his services were adequately rewarded. Mr Clark, who was visibly affected during his remarks, concluded with fee words, " Farewell, and may God blesa you all." Cr Mosely move that the council place on | record their very high appreciation of the valuable services rendered by Mr Clark during the past 25 years. Cr Mosely proceeded to I speak in the very highest terms .of praise of the able manner in. which Mj; Clark haj looked

I'aiter the business of the council,' and mentioned • that-wlren-ne (Gr Mosely) had entered the; council it had ; been"to,sit-with ■and'repeiye-instruc-tion from his father's 'old friend Mr "Clark. He was sure he expressed the feelings of every member of the council when he said, he was sorry to hear Mr Clark' say~ farewell. , '-> / Cr Martin seconded the motioii, and, in doing so, said if there was one member of the council he respected more than another it was Mt Clark. All the oilier membeis of the council referred in equally strong terms to the high appreciation in which Mr Clark was held, and the motion was then carried. ■ Following on this the members of the council adjourned to th? clerk's room, with the object of making some Recognition of Mr Clark's leaving the council, s The Chairman of the Council (Mr Noble) said Mr Clark had intimated at last meeting that -he felt himself getting too far advanced in years to give, adequate attention to the business of the council, and that he did. not intend to stand for the Mouiß Stuart Riding again. Mr Clark hela a record. Ha' had been the „ member for that riding for a quarter of a century, and chairman for „20 years, and during that time he had never run his riding into debt by a penny ; on the contrary, he had always advocated keeping out of debt. He had always done good work, not only for his riding but for the county as a whole, and he (the chairman) could assure him that he would be sorely missed in the council. Hia practical •• knowledge of the work had been of great assistance toHhe council," and the younger members had- derivedgreat benefit from his advice. He .(the chairman) hoped Mr. Clark might be long spared to enjoy his well-earned rest, and. he had much ■ ■pleasure, on behalf of the council, "in presenting him with a walking stick. ! This was an unusually handsome, 'gift of- its kind, and on, the gold Jerrule was the following inscription : -" Presented by the Bruce County Council to Mr Henry Clark on Tearing from office after serving as chairman and councillor for 25 years. November, 1902." Mr. Clark, in acknowledging the gift, saidhis heart was too full for utterance. The handsome staff they had presented him with seemed to be peculiarly appropriate, and he thanked them for their kindness in remembering that he could not toddle along very well without such an assistance. Long mighfc the County of Bruce prosper. Its aflEairs had be<£* well managed in the past, and he was satisfied that the good management would continue. "His feelings were too much for him, and they would ex.-use his not saying any more." ' i Mr Donald Reid, who wns one of the party, thought it was pretty generally known what sort of a man Mr Clark was, and it would be surplusage for him to repeat it. He thought it would be very hard to find a man who did not like him. They often heard it said that ' Parliament w-is not what it used to be, and that thpy had lost the good old men who were in the Parliaments that were gone. They had lost many worthy men, and he thought the same sentiments expressed at the loss might with equal propriety be expressed in Mr Clark's case. Their worthy friend Mr Clark had had associated with him Mr James Smith, and coming back a bit, Mr M'Pherson. If we had more men in our political circle like Mr Clark there' would be less cause for the legislation that was being passed. He had been acquainted with Mr Clark since 1876, and he did not think anyone could say that a single reproach could be levelled against him. He was satisfied that ( as far as the council was concerned they would | not do anything that .would cause Mr "Clark to wish that he was back again. He- hoped Mr j Clark would, live long to use the staff presented to him," and ho knew- that* he would - never take it in his hand but he would think of the council he had left behind him. - I Mr Clark's health was then drunk with much enthusiasm, and he again "briefly returned thanks, mentioning that he had been among them for 46 years, and that there would be no change until the " last change." Referring to fha borough being entirely free of debt, he laughingly said it was not to their credit that that was so, and pointed out that they had, or were to have, a Town Hall, and that the next thing to bs got was a water supply. Mr Clark resumed his seat amid loud applause. | Several of ths councillors spoko in very (< warm terms of Mr Clark's worth, and a very ( pleasant hour was spent before the final ad-