PRESENTATION MADE TO MR J. A. LINDSAY

Southland Times, Issue 23498, 3 May 1938, Page 8

PRESENTATION MADE TO MR J. A. LINDSAY

FORMER TRAFFIC MANAGER OF RAILWAYS Members of the executive of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce bade farewell to Mr J. A. Lindsay, retiring District Traffic Manager of Railways and a member of the executive of the chamber, at a function in his honour in the Rosewood Lounge yesterday afternoon. Mr W. Grieve, president of the chamber, was in the chair. The chairman said that Mr Lindsay had been known as a very capable officer during his'l7 years’ service with the Railways Department in Invercargill, and in his association with the chamber he had given good service. It was difficult, said the chairman, for a civil servant to please everybody, but he could say in Mr Lindsay's case that the advice and information he had been able to give to the chamber had been of great assistance. He hoped Mr Lindsay would take the lead of a former traffic manager (Mr J. Pickard) and spend his retirement in Invercargill. Several members of the chamber spoke in appreciation of the service Mr Lindsay had given to the community as a whole and referred to his willingness at all times to oblige with information on matters affecting his department. Mr Grieve made Mr Lindsay a presentation of a set of silver entree dishes. “On behalf of the executive I ask you to accept this as a reminder of the happy days you spent with the business men of Invercargill,” he said. “We wish you and Mrs Lindsay a happy retirement and hope you will be long spared to enjoy it.” He regarded it as a privilege to be .associated with the Chamber of Commerce and would look back with pleasure on those happy days, said Mr Lindsay in reply. The gift- was a pleasant surprise, but it would serve to remind him of his associations with the chamber. He prized the esteem of the members and considered that the interests of the business community were well guarded by the men who gave their time on chamber business.

Referring to the relationship between his department and the chamber Mr Lindsay said that there had been criticism of the department but it had been fair criticism. All Government departments were open to criticism, he said, and they should value the suggestions offered by anybody. The chamber was the watchdog of the business people of Invercargill, and it for one was entitled to any information sought. He had one great regret at leaving the service, and that was that he would be losing contact with the business people of In cargill. He had not decided where he and Mrs Lindsay would live in their retirement but he could say it would not be far away from Invercargill. He wished the members of the chamber all prosperity and hoped that the same courtesy and consideration received by him would be extended to his successor, Mr W. M. Cole. A welcome w's given to Mr Cole.