SERVICES REWARDED.

Otago Witness, Issue 3882, 7 August 1928, Page 75

SERVICES REWARDED.

ACTION BY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Sir George Fenwick and Sir John Roberts were elected life members of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce at its annual meeting last night. The chairman (Mr J. Taylor) said that it had been the custom of the chamber from time to time to confer the honour - of life membership on some of its past presidents as a token of its appreciation of the services to the chamber and the city. At the present time, they had four life members (Messrs G. L. Denniston, J. M. Gallaway, Walter Gow and A. S. Paterson) and the council had decided at its last meeting to add two other names to the-list. Time would not permit him to enumerate the activities of both men in the interests of the city, and he would content himself with saying that he believed there had not been a single movement for the betterment of the city in commercial, philanthropic, civic or educational circles that had not had the active interest and generous support of both these men. He referred to two of Dunedin’s most distinguished citizens—Sir George Fenwick and Sir John Roberts, "ir John Roberts was president in 1888-89, and Sir George Fenwick was president in 1916-17. He believed that the men of the second generation and the younger men of the third owed more to the example and influence of these two men that they could ever hope to repay. He had very great pleasure in proposing that Sir George Fenwick and Sir John Roberts be elected life members of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce.

The motion, which was seconded by Mr Roscvear, was carried unanimously. Sir George Fenwick, w - ho also spoke for Sir John Roberts, who was not able to attend, thanked the chamber very cordially for the honour. As far as Sir John was concerned the honour was highly deserved, he said. Sir John had occupied the chair in 1888-89—a very long time ago, but'his own occupancy of the position was of comparatively recent date. Although Sir John’s claims were unquestionably greater members apparently thought that he, too, was entitled to the honour. He could not take as warm an interest in the chamber - as in the years before his occupancy of the chair, but he watched its doings with interest. He had repeatedly refuted the suggestion that it was not a live body, and he considered that the Dunedin Chamber was in the forefront of the chambers of the Dominion. He thought that its work was of very great value. This was one of several honours which he had had to acknowledge in the last two years. He had been elected a life member of the Art Gallery Society, and another body which had elected him a life member had presented him with a gold medal. He thought that when the chamber had attained an anniversary about 10 years hence it would possibly be a graceful act to present its life members with a gold medal. It would be realised, of course, that he would not be one of the recipients.