VALEDICTORY SOCIAL

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXVI, Issue 9059, 15 April 1937, Page 2

VALEDICTORY SOCIAL

rO CHAIRMAN OF WAIHI FIRE BOARD ; HR ELrLERINGTON FAREWELLED j PRESENTATIONS MADE 1 Following the quarterly meeting jf the Waihi Fire Board, held on Monday afternoon, a valedictory to die chairman, Mr W. E. Ellerington, was held in the evening in the fire station social hall, tendered conjointly by the Fire Board and the Fire Brigade as a mark of esteem and respect to the popular chairman who, by virtue of his residence in Auckland, felt it incumbent upon him to resign a position which he had so capably filled for the past nine years. There was a full attendance of members of the board and the brigade, and the visitors included the Mayor, Mr W. M. Wallnutt, the veteran and honorary life-member of the brigade, Mr Walter J. Brown, Mr Evan Morgan, ex-chairman, Mr A, T. Maunder, ex-Waihi Borough Codncil’s representative on the board The superintendent, Mr W. E. Roberts, opened the proceedings by remarking that the Fire Board and the Fire Brigade had met that evening to bid farewell to their revered chairman, Mr Ellerington, who had so loyally and capably filled the position for the past nine years. An apology for the absence of the brigade’s honorary surgeon, Dr. F. G. Barrowclough, owing to a call to Auckland, had been received, but his place was taken that evening by Dr. L. R. Hetherington. The toast of the King was then honoured. Mr W. Skegg was invited to take the chair, and he remarked that the Waihi Fire Brigade enjoyed a reputation for its hospitality. He had been an Auckland member of the board for 1G years, and they all had gathered together to bid farewell to their good friend, Mr Ellerington. FIRE BOARD The toast of the Fire Board was proposed by the superintendent, who said it afforded him great pleasure. In his position he had come into close contact with the board members and his relations with them had been most cordial and the brigade under their jurisdiction was a very happy family. It was hard indeed to part with their chairman, who had been a great factor in promoting and preserving harmony, which had never been broken during his whole term of office. He, the speaker, was proud of the board, which was well represented by the Waihi Borough Council and the insurance companies, I and the brigade had nothing to rej gret in its administration. The toast was coupled with the names of Messrs J. J. Callaghan and H. V. Tregear. Mr Callaghan, in responding, said the superintendent had made many kind references to the personnel of the board'and its actions. Since he had been associated with the board it had always endeavoured to work in the best interests of the brigade, and the board was chiefly indebted to its chairman for the prevailing unanimity between it and the brigade. Mr Tregear, also responding on behalf of the board, and particularly for the Auckland representatives, thanked Mr Roberts for what he had said. The board met quarterly in Waihi, which was one of the most prosperous towns in New Zealand. The board tried to face the problems that came before it squarely, and got the greatest help from the superintendent, who, as head of a splendid brigade, had achieved as much as was humanly possible. The board had tried to keep down costs consistent with high efficiency. Mr Skegg and himself always looked forward to their official visits to Waihi with pleasure. He concluded by thanking Mr Roberts and the firemen for the happy manner in which they had drunk the toast of the board. BOROUGH COUNCIL Mr E. It. Morgan, in proposing the toast of the Waihi Borough Council, referred in eulogistic terms to the encouragement given by the council to the brigade. The Waihi Borough in area was the fifth biggest of all the towns in New Zealand, and the council was ever ready to put a good deal of its time into looking after the interests and welfare of the community, and he would like to congratulate it for its honest attempt to do what it considered its duty to the ratepayers. Mr Morgan then referred to the brigade’s visit to Nelson I

and said that while there he met Superintendent Wilson of the Motueka Fire Brigade, and he was interested to learn from that gentleman that the water supply of the town for all purposes was obtained simply by driving a pipe down through the ground and at about eight feet down the water gushed up, the flow being unlimitable. The Mayor, in responding, said that before specifically referring to the council he would like to convey his, the councillors’ and the community’s felicitations to the guest of the evening. During the past few years he had not come much in contact with Mr Ellerington, but when he

first came to Waihi lie, the speaker was one of the first to meet him and discuss with him matters associated with licensing. He had the highest regard for Mr Ellerington, and wished him, on behalf of the town, the best of luck and prosperity for the future. Mr Wallnutt went on to say that Waihi was unique in the history of boroughs in New Zealand. He had no hesitation in saying that n,q other borough had such a gmall public debt as Waihi had to-day. Some people may say that it lacked in enterprise, but on the other hand it had the ratepayers and the Loan Board to deal with. The area of the borough comprised over 4000 acres, with 47 miles of formed metal roads and GO miles of footpaths. There were only four boroughs or cities in the North Island larger than 'Waihi, and these were Auckland, "Wellinglon, Wanganui and Palmerston.

Out of 32 boroughs or cities in the North Island only five boroughs had a greater length of streets to maintain—Auckland, Wellington, kit, Albert, Hamilton and Gisborne. So when these facts were recognised one would realise what the local authority was up against. The borough foreman had, broadly speaking, a handful of men at his command, but he could assui'e them that they were going to do their best.in th<x circumstances. Mr Bourke had already made his mark in connection

with the public works of the town. Waihi solely as a mining town had emerged from that position, and was now the centre of a prosperous agricultural and pastoral district. Another milestone had been initiated in Waihi by the holding of the first agricultural show in the district this year, and it had now an assured future. The wonderful Martha mine had been going since 1890, and was not by any means coming to an end, and they would see it carrying on with success for many years to come. As far as the Borough Council was concerned, it was comprised of a good group of men who were doing their work in the best interests of the community.

Mr J. F. Robertson, in responding, said the Mayor had covered the ground as far as the Borough Council was concerned very fully, and he would confine his few remarks to their guest, whom he was pleased to regard as one who had rendered faithful service in the highest sense to the board and to the community. He personally regretted very much Mr Ellerington's severance from their midst.

Mr Tregear, in proposing the toast of the Fire Brigade, said it always afforded him pleasure to say a few words in favour of the brigade, for a number of reasons. First, as members of the Fire Brigade they realised the important duty they were called upon to perform in the protection of life and property. A number of people did not pause to think on these lines, but if they did they would be thankful to the brigade for its great service. Waihi possessed a Fire Brigade that any town might be proud of. He congratulated the ' brigade on the excellent saves it had made in the business area of the town during the past year, and trusted it would continue in the performance of the good work. Mr Roberts, in responding, thanked Mr Tregear for his encouraging remarks, and stated it was his intention to carry on with, what Mr Tregear had styled,, the good work. He was well supported by the board, the members of which had the brigade's interests at heart. The brigade had nothing to complain about, and the men were not afraid of anything. As a fire-fighting brigade they could hold their own with any country brigade in the dominion. Mr Callaghan, in proposing the toast of the retiring chairman, said that he considered it a compliment to have been chosen as it called for a person's best as so much could be said with regard to Mr Ellerington's ability as chairman, whose courteous manner in treating the various opinions of members never failed, and, further, he gave everybody fair and bonny play. Every member of the board would re-echo any sentiments that he might express in admiration of Mr Ellerington as chairman of the board. He had known Mr Ellerington ever since he had been in Waihi and had found him prepared to take a leading part in anything pertaining to the welfare of the town. He could assure them one and all that the loss of Mr Ellerington, as chairman of the board, meant much more i than the majority of people would i know. PRESENTATIONS TO GUEST The chairman then announced that he had a pleasant duty to perform in one sense and in another a sad one. He had been a member of the board for 16 years, and he had never sat under a better chairman than Mr Ellerington. He could say without hesitation they had got the best combination they had ever had, including their secretary. A good board, a good chairman, a good superintendent, and a good secretary enabled the best services to be rendered, and the Waihi Fire Brigade had all these. Mr Ellerington would be a loss to the board, to the brigade, and to the citizens of Waihi. There was no doubt, continued Mr Skegg. that the happy, condition of affairs was largely due to the chairman, who had maintained an equilibrium between the board, the brigade and the insurance companies, and had imbued a whole-hearted spirit of service that had permeated the members of the brigade, and the citizens of Waihi had received the benefit. The brigade had saved to the citizens and the insurance companies during the past year the sum of £5500. Loss of property by fire ultimately fell upon the community. In drawing his remarks to a close, Mr Skegg referring to the retiring chairman, said he had never seen him give an unjust decision, never seen him in a temper and never seen him rattled. Mr Ellerington was an excellent business man and had saved the Borough Council and the board a considerable amount of money, because he was a keen buyer and the board was content to leave its purchases in his hands. Besides, he was J a builder by trade, and he could guide the board owing to his expert I knowledge. His motto was "Do it

Now" and thus any jobs decided upon were always executed with the least delay.

Mr Ellerington was then handed a fountain pen and a gold pencil as a mark of the board's appreciation. CHAIRMAN REPLIES Mr Ellerington, in expressing his thanks for the gift and all the kind things said about him, said that as the Government's representative on the board he had only endeavoured to do his duty, and had had a lot of assistance from the secretary and the superintendent. He thought Mr Fallwell deserved much of the oyedit that the board had showered upon I him.

j Mr Ellerington was. then the recipient of a second presentation which took the shape of a solid silver teapot, the gift of the brigade, and presented by the superintendent. Toasts of the secretary, visitors and honorary life members (Messrs W. J. Brown and J. M. Wrigley) and the press were also honoured. Mr P. C. Clarke played the accompaniments throughout the evening and vocal and instrument** items were contributed by Messrs' R. Taylor, E. Morgan, and Eric Dunstan and stores were told by Dr. Hetheriu3>m and Messrs R. Morgan, 1 Skegg and Tregear. The enjoyable evening closed with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne" and the National Anthem.