Complimentary

Southland Times, Issue 13419, 2 April 1896, Page 2

Complimentary

On Monday evening a number of gentlemen met iv Milne's Hotel, |Wyndharo, to bid farewell to Mr G. G. Fyfe, who leaves on a trip to the Old Country at the end of the week. Mr James Milne occupied the chair and Mr Cushnio the vice-chair. la proposing the toast " Our Guest " the Chairman said that it was 46 years since Mr Fyfe left Home to come out to the colonies. Ho was a boy at the time and remembered the day that Mr Fyfe left. Their guest had been known to him a long while in this quarter and he had rendered valuable services to the public in tainting to get roads andbridgesconstructed throughout 6h« district. As a member of the Ce notary Trust since it was formed, Mr Fyfe'ii services had been invaluable.— Mr Noble said he Had always found Mr Fyfe a gentleman, and. he had done much for the welfare of the listrict. —Mr Cnshnie considered that he was one of Mr Fyfe's oldest acquaintances, having known him for the past 33 yean, and during that time he had steadily risen in his estimation.— Mr J. G. Kidd referred to dealings with Mr Fyfe in connection, vrith the Cemetery Trust, and spoke of - thi amount of work their guest had done its a member of that body.— Mr Baange aaidl he and, Mr Fyfe were the oldest residents in ; the district and both were Aberdonians Referring to difficulties contended with by the early settlers he remarked that h© and Mr Fyfe were three years in the diaisictt before there was a building in Wyndbatn.— Mr Paul, who had been associated with Mr Fyfe on the Town Board and School Com* mittee, spoke of the straightforward manner in which that gentleman had acted whiJe-a member of these bodies. — Messrs Stirling and Stalker alscMlpoke;; df^iHir many years' acquainbance.mth M£l^fe_ .and expressed a hope that he and Mrs Fyfe would havij an enjoyable trip. Mr Fyfe, in replying to the toast, thanked the company for their good wishes. Their meeting showed that he was col; at variance with all the world. He contrasted the utate of affairs now with those of the early days. When he came to the Taieri Plain it-had nothing on it but flax and fern and he well remembered the rough journeys he had over the Plain with wool drayr. The chairman he remembered as a boy at school. He heard a remark aJxrati them not having to pay taxes in the aarly day?, but when he came to the district He brought with him a horse on which ha had to pay half a crown to Dr Menzies, who was very particular in getting in che taxes. He thanked them all for their kind expressions of goodwill towards } himself and Mrs IFyfe, and announced that should any of those present wish him to look tip any of their friends in the Old Country be would be most happy to do so. Other toast3 were proposed: during the evening, and songs were sung by Jdeafirs A. Laidlaw, A. Lumsdeo, J. Lumaden, Stalker, C. FinlaysoD, W. J. Marsb, and MacpherBon, and the proceedings broke up with the singing of " Auld Lang Syne."