VALEDICTORY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLVIII, Issue 12365, 3 December 1904, Page 7

VALEDICTORY.

At the conclusion of tho ordinary business at the Harbour Board- meeting yesteiday, Mr. A. D. Willis, M.H.R, handed in'ills, resignation as chairman. Mr. Willis said that it gave him very much regret to do so, as his associations with . the memhers had boan very pleasant. He had, ho said, been -a member. of the ' Board for 25 year-^ and during that period had e:ght. times been chairman. Thirty-five years ago^he took a seat on the Borough Counc 1, but so .great was hia 'interest in the harbour .and all that pertained to the welfare of the town that he, ten years afterwards, resigned his se-ab in order that he might get on the Harbour Board. The harbour had nob improved as he would have liked it to, but Mr. Willis contended that the Board was not to blame. Had the people of the district shown that they wished the Harbour Board to embark on a comprehensive itchame, matters nvght havx) been different, but the people shoufkl not bilame th© Board for what could'not bo helped. After seeing the state tho river gob into after the last .flood, the Board made up its mind to go in for an extensive, dredging scheme, llhen Mr. F. R. Field came along with a oclieme. I'here wfis nothing to show that ib would bo a success, a,nd as it was brought forward in tho dying hours of the Board, :lfc was felt that the matter should b-o left for the new Board to dexcido. Ihe new Board would be entirely ""untrammelled. The engineer had not been permanently, appointed, and it wait . quMib open for the new BjOard^to/do as it pleased'Tn regard' to tho engineer's pro-^ pa^ab. .Mr. Wiltira.!thought the Board had adopted a right and proper corn's© in doing as it had done. Speaking personally, he, as a member of the Board ; had had many upa and downs. Ho had been blamed again, and again, but in mast cases M had been proved that the course he had limdicated was tho right one. He could point -to many. For in- | stance, there were the river wharves. Ho had 'always opposed them, and held that the steamer companies ehou'd have ©irocted them. Ultimately, however, he had had to give Avay. The owners had promised to pay 10 per cent, of the cost, bub no guarantee had been made, and they* had proved a dead loss to the Board. Then, aigaan, there was the Thatcher scheme. He (Mr. Willis) had strongly opposed ib, but he had no one to back him up. T;.me had proved that ho was correct. In concluding, Mr. Wil-tfis-aaidi he Sef b with a feeling, of regret. Ho felt sure that any friction which had arisen at any time had not been on pereonal grounds, but simply owing to a difference of opinion. Though absent, lie would always foUiow with interest the deliberations of the Board, and ho hoped they would work together in a harmonious wajT. '~.-, Spe&eheo eulogistic of Mr. Willis and theiiitercr-jt ho had always taken in the Board and Wanganui in general were mado by all tho members. On tho motion of Mr. Wiilliams, «s©eonded by Mr. Bignell, it was unanimously reso'.ved, "That the Board accepts Mr. Willis's resignation as chairman Avith regret, and pla-oo on record their appi^eciation of his services during the last 25 years." . It was further resolved, upon the motiion of Mr. MLUward, seconded by Mr. Elliott, that -an enlarged photograph of Mr. Willis be procured and hune on the wai'ils of the Board's office. The members of tho Board, the secretary, and foreman of works, and the Press representatives were then entertained .by Mr. Willis at McCarthy's Fami-Vy Hotel. Hero the healths of Mr. and Mrs. Willis were drunk in bumpers, and Mr. Will-is was wished bon voyage and a safo return.