VALEDICTORY

Otago Witness, Issue 3513, 12 July 1921, Page 25

VALEDICTORY

MR E. MURRELL. A large and representative gathering of citizens and district residents assembled an the Athenaeum Hall, Cromwell, recently io bid farewell to Mr E. Murrell and members of his family on the eve of their departure from ihe district. The Mayor (Mr D. C. Jolly l , who presided, stated that Mr Murrell had been a resident of the dominion for 60 years, about 50 of which he had spent continuously in Cromwell. He joined the Borough Council, of which he was a member for 15 consecutive years, in 1879, and was elected Mayor in 1899, holding the position until 1905, when lie retired, but accepted the position again from 1909 until 1913, when he finally retired, after 25 years* service as councillor and Mayor. This was the longest record of any man who had served on the council. ’When the first fire brigade was formed in 1874 he joined the ranks under the late Captain Sharkey, and was appointed first lieutenant. He bad bec-n a member of the early Volunteer Forces under Captain S. N. Brown, and had a good shooting record to his credit. He was a member of the Cemetery Trust for 21 years, any the Hospital Committee for 19 years, being elected chairman in 1898, and held that position until he resigned. For 22 years he had been a justice of tho peace, and still retained that position. Mr Jolly then presented him with a purse of bank notes, ihe handing over of which was greeted with loud applause. Tho ex-Mayor (Mr A. M. Brodrick) supported the Mayor's remarks in a. humorous strain, slating that Mr Murrell had been a citizen of Cromwell from “time immemorial.” Miss Murrell was also the recipient of a presentation from St. Andrew’s Church. This was entrusted to Mr J. Betts, who handed to Miss Murrell a token in appreciation of her services as organist for several years. Both presentations were suitably acknowledged.