VALEDICTORY AT MOSGIEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2803, 4 December 1907, Page 14

VALEDICTORY AT MOSGIEL.

A emoke social waa tendered to Mr .3. . -Samson by the Taieri county councillors 'on' Nov. 27 at Mosgiel, on his retirement from the- council; present were— Cr V. Stevenson -£n the" chair); " Messrs Wesfwocll ' (toteman-of works),' Bain {sanitary inspec",*£?'^P Tod< * (wfroouncilor),- W. Gedde. -{Mayor of Green Island), James Har--' • rison (ex-chairman), John - Giaham (exchairman), Crs Do&erty/.W. BJackie, Blair, • ..Mr JoSn Logan (county clerk), Mr Donald ' Reid, jun., M.H.R Mr"J. H. Hoskinjr, K.C. (county solicitor), and Mr B. B. Couston (county engineer). Apologies were read from Cus Gibson. Elliott, and MiUer, Messrs W. Thomson (Green Island!, J. Dow •(Newton, Outram), T. Christie, J. Loudon TMayor of Dunedin), R. Johnstone (chairman Maniototo County Council), R^. RobinBo Sj. jun - (B«nrioU, aad H. H. Inglis. ,v • lth of fh * Kin « WM followed by % the Chairman rising to propose the health of the guest of the evening. No man had done more to put the Taieri County Council in a sound financial position than had* Or Samson. He always fought his battle* manfully, and sometimes single-banded. Councillors had decided to aak him to accept a small token of their respect and affection The presentation took the form . of a handsome illuminated address, which read as follows: — Charles Samson, Esq., Green Island. V* V.* 0 " 1 intention to retire from your membership of the Taieri Cpunty Council today and you* fellow councillors aad the staff realise that your connection with the. council has been so *.onr"and so useful, they oannot allow you to retire without expressing their unfeigned regret—* regret that will lS shared by all the othsr inhabitants at the. county— that you ate ceasing to take parti m the public, administration of its affairs Your connection with th* council began 30 years ago, in Urn year 1877. when the first council was formed. You then represented! the Kajkorai Riding, for which you are at present the member, v You wer* again councillor in tho y«ur 188I> and again from tha year 1893 to the present time^ a period of 18 years' service. In the- year 1896-97 you were chairman. Yon ware reelected for the following year, aad you have been chairmam for the currtnt year. During the time you have been chaiimSfryou hay» taken » large share in the re-«*blishmeat of the oounty finances, and you hay* at a 1 ! tunes rendered especial service as a member of th© Finance Committee of the council. s?* m °*P*ciii<* you have worked for the pubhc good. This address ia but a slight recognition of ihe time and tiouWs which, as a member of tha council, you have expended in the service of the public W# wish yon many yean of life and health, and bag you will accept this address as an indication of th* goodwill of ourselves and; the inhabitants of the country. Mosgiel, November, 1907, Mr J. Graham ako bore testimony to tho sterling qualities possessed by their guest, and related sundry anecdotes of council matters of old, in which Mr Samson had distinguished himself. Mr J. Harrison spoke fii a similar strain, and referred 1 in glowing terms to their guest's honesty of opinion, Mir Donald Reid, MjH.R., expressed his pleasure at beinjr present. He knew Mr Samson, well as a man always anxious and ready ta do the right^thing. They had been the very best of good friends. Cr Sameon had treated him most kindly as a younjr marj just entering political life. When Mr Samson took up a thing he carried it through, and gave and asked no quarter. He had been a Very good friend! to Green Island. Mr Samson said he could never adequately express the kindneas shown him by the councillors at that table. He could not help feeling \hat he had been given > something that he had not deserved. ' Nothing under the sun could have pleased him better than the address with which he had just been presented. Hie descendants | would look at it and say: "Well, the old | man mutt -have been some we!" Ha I thanked them from the bottom of his heart. ;Mr Samson then proceeded to give as resume of his public life, from which it) appeared thai he had' never been altogether out of 'harness. AmoW other things, he j had ' had a- bard struggle to get the tol's 1 abolished, but was- ultimately suooessra?. i When he thought of the" number of " good - old pioneers "he bad been associated with i,on the, various boards, and boroughs, and* j how few were now- left,, it almost made hint shudder- *Pf^» h*u£ wen a. number of tlie > Taieri County Council pass the boundary. t Only two besides himself were left of those < who served' during the first three years. I His reason for giving up local politics was ' that he had grown old in them. He was f now 67. When he started local politics ho • was 32. He was not retiring' on the plea | of .ill-health, but he was leaving to give a j younger man a chance to come in, to : finish off, perhaps, what he bad left un« ' done. i In proposing the toast of "The Legia- • lature," Mr J. Graham said that when ] gentlemen gave up so much ■of tTiair time, i the least the publio could do was to express . their gratitude. I In reply, Mr Donald Reid, M.H.R., said ! it rather took a man's breath away to be thanked for what he had done in Parliament. It was usually the other way. An advance had been made this year. Fop instance, he was an M.P., and th« colony had become a Dominion. Parliament thi* session had tackled matters left se^erelrs alone by the Government of whien M< Seddon was the head. Mr Samson's record of his public life was a record in a. double sense. A county council tramina was often the ground for public Kfe, and in retiring^ as Mr Snqwon had done, na had shown a laudable and propar spirit. Mr Todd, in proposing the tQast of "The Taieri County Council," s4id ifo works were visible, and spoke for themselvea-^ roads, bridges, etc Or Blair, in reply, satd the council worked above-board, and 1 Aid its best fof the ratepayers. "Go in and win." was the motto and ohajacterwtio of their, *uss<* and when he wae chairman he occupied that office with great <?redit to theot all; Other speakers were Cx Doherfy, C» Blaokie, Mr J. H. Hooking, 5-Q., M» I Geddee, Cfr Blair. Mr tt^rrW M* I Graham, Mr Couston, and Mr I(PiC*f • Tbe 6ooial, wnjoh was rjfcost oordjal and I entnusiastio throughout, tfflftoinatgo jo_ tim* >v fo permit visitors to catch the tram.

The Government of Spain has engaged a number of agricultural experts id tone tbe country and give instruction to ft* Carmara.