PRESENTATION TO MR. MARTIN KENNEDY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 48, 21 March 1890, Page 13

PRESENTATION TO MR. MARTIN KENNEDY.

(Greymouth Star, March 11.)

Last night a number of the Committee of the Catholic church assembled at Mr. Sheedy's hotel to present Mr. Kennedy with a gold watch and chain, as a testimony of their esteem and respect. Mr. Felix Campbell occupied the chair, and Mr. Sheedy the vice-chair. The following gentlemen were present :— Bev. Father Carew, Dr. Morrice, Messrs. Dupre, Shannahan, M'Gain, J. Kennedy, Doogan, M'Donnell, Joyce, Eissenhardt, M'Davitt, Martin Sheedy, M O'Connor, C, Y. O'Connor. Phillips, Kane, Kemple, Grogan, Timmons, Hannan, Griffen, Bourke, Campbell, Byan, M'Carthy and Petrie.

The toast of " The Pope " having been duly honored, The Chairman, in proposing " Our Guest," said that they were gathered together to express their appreciation of one who had for many long years be n one of the foremost among them both as a citizen and churchman. The gathering had been brought about by the Church Committee, of which Mr Kennedy had been a prominent member since its formation. It was felt that it would ill become them to allow such a zealous and arduous labourer m their cause, such an honest, enterprising and energetic citizen to depart without some recognition of his sterling worth. He had always been a warm advocate for good education, and even once offered to stand as a committeeman for the State school, but was rejected. He had been at tha head of one of tbe largest businesses on this side of New Zealand, and he had gone to Wellington to rest, as it were, on his laurels, which he sincerely hoped that he would long live to enjoy. The toast was drunk with musical honours.

The Rev. Father Carew then read the following address :— '• To M. Kennedy, Esq. Dear fcir, — I a... deputed by the Catholic Church Committee and a few other Catholic gentlemen of tbis town to offer to you this gold watch and chain as a slight token of the very great esteem in which you are held by them. Immediately after you had left Greymouth, early in October last, a feeling of dissatisfaction pervaded our people that you were permitted to leave the town without receiving from tbem some souvenir expressive of the kindly feelings which they bore towards you and yours, and of gratitude for the many substantial favours bestowed by you on them during your long residence in Greymouth. These kindly feelings easily and quickly assumed practical form, and this gold Watch and chain is the result. You can see by the inscription that it was intended to have been presented in the month of November last ; but we have not had the opportunity to do so. I beg to state that this is the spontaneous offering of truly grateful hearts tendered by them to convey to you the expression of their esteem, in whom as fellow citizens they always found a man of honour and integrity, and as a committeeman a friend and patron, who encouraged to good by example and authority." ' r

Mr. Kennedy, who was received with cheers, said he thanked them for the expression of opinion expressed towards him, and for the presentation made as an expression ofi the committee's views and their feelings towardß him ; uni be would appreciate it accordingly. Some 25 years, the best portion of his life, had been passed in Greymouth, and during that time he had filled several positions, which a chairman had allu led to ; but ha felt always that be was only doing his duty as a citizen. The duties of a committee-man were scarcely felt when associated with such active members of committee as he had found tbem, and especially when associated with Father Carew. During tbe whole 25 years he had been on the committee there had not been the slightest friction. The gathering that evening was quite unexpected on his part. He did certainly hear a rumour of something of the kind, but he had no idea that it would take such a form, as it was only three years ago, when he was going Home for a trip, that he received a complimentary farewell from his fellow townsmen. He regretted that Greymouth had not responded to the expectations of a great many of ihem who thought that it was destined to take its place at an early date amongst the principal cities of the Colony. He feared, however, that the immediate future

won Id see no such reahsa ion Still, the mioeral resources of Greymouth most eventually bring her to the front. The harbour works had been successful beyond their most sanguine expectations, and 5 t?FS\ h ttf th I Mi f laDd BaLlway * ne ' Ie woald beremem! bered that he had made a " sporting off.r " of £50,000 a year for the carmgeof coal on the line Well, wildasthat was deemed, he woufj make the the offer again, for the saving in breakage of coal would more than compensate for the entire cost. Coming back again to Catholic matteiß, be said that the Catholic commu, icy of Greymoutb though it was small, and, generally sp.aking, consisted of the poores people, bad ep^nt more than £10,000 on educational and church B i J«, K a mg tbe paßt 10 ye " 8 ' be8 ' deß contributing between £400 and £500 a year towards the maiLtenance of the schools The churcu they bad recently erected was a credit to the place, and very few churches in New Zealand, unless, perhaps, the Cathedral in Dunedin wonLl compare with it ; while as to their convent buildings they conld not be surpassed in the Colony, unless, perhaps, at Timaru Concluding, he said it would be a pleasure to him at all times to do anything he could for Greymouth and its citizens as far as lav in his power. J

k v ir Shee iy. m bearing testimony to the good work performed by Mr. Kennedy, said he had been maialy inatrumental in establishing the first school in Grey mouth which was open to all classes and creeds and this for five years was the only school in the district He regietted very much Mr. Kennedy's" departure from the district lor he hpd been the foremost man therein. He trusted he would meet with that success in the future which his energy and integrity deserved Tbe speaker intimated that he would probably be leaving the district soon. * J Mr Strie haimaD pr ° po=ed " the Press '" which was responded to by

!! JJ JJ u CCarl rr IBod! I Bod !, eß '" waß reß P° nded to by Messrs. Dupre and Philips. ackDowfedg?«r " ° hairmiD '" were al8 ° proposed and Messrs. M'Davitt and Bourke gave a couple of capital Bongs.