PRESENTATION TO REV. FATHER CRONIN, ROSS

New Zealand Tablet, 2 March 1916, Page 47

PRESENTATION TO REV. FATHER CRONIN, ROSS

The members of the Ross Literary and Debating Society met at the Coronation Hall on Tuesday night, February 1, for the purpose of bidding good-bye to the Rev. Father Cronin,. who is a vice-president of the society, (says the Hokitika Guardian). Mr. White (president) occupied the chair and briefly introduced the. purpose of the gathering, expressing his sincere regret at the departure of Father Cronin. He then called upon the patron of the society, the mayor (Mr. J. Grimmond) to make the departing member a small presentation. . • - - Mr.'Grimmond, on behalf ' of the society, in a very feeling manner, • referred to the loss suffered by the society and community in the departure of Father Cronin. The speaker was certain he not only voiced their appreciation of him as a priest, but also as a highly esteemed and worthy citizen. Although Father Cronin. had only been one short year amongst them, he was taking with him the warm regard and goodwillwhich he had won by his affable manner and his earnest desire to be a living factor in every good. work. The speaker felt assured that Father Cronin's many admirable qualities would win for him sincere friends wherever his lot in life would be cast. (Applause.)' Rev. Mr. Caldwell also voiced his regret at the departure of a sincere and worthy friend whom he had learned to esteem for his many manly virtues. Rev. Father Cronin, in a few well-chosen words, thanked them as a society for their thoughtful present, but thanked them more for their goodwill towards him, and eulogised the president and members for their earnest endeavors to promote the welfare and intellectual status of their community, urging them to continue on in their worthy efforts, aiming at achieving the great and worthy object of their being, in making their environments brighter and better than what they found them. He thanked riot only those present but the whole community for their invariable kindness and uniform courtesy that he had received from the greatest to the least amongst them. He particularly referred to the children of Ross, who were indeed a credit to the place. He again thanked them for their, useful present, the use of which would often remind him of a pleasant though short sojourn amongst a wholehearted and generous people. The singing of ' For he's a jolly good fellow brought the proceedings to a close. Another presentation was made to Father Cronin at the Catholic presbytery, Ross, on Sunday evening, January 30, when Mr. A. P. Sharkey, on behalf of the church committee and Catholics of the town, pre-sented-him with a purse of sovereigns, and wished him success and happiness in his new parish. •Rev. Father Cronin feelingly replied, and expressed his grateful thanks for the presentation, v and his regret at having to leave Ross, his first parish, and hoped that he would find the people in his new charge as generous, kind, and considerate as he had found on.the West Coast, and Ross in particular. Their kindness to him he would never forget. ' After the presentation Father Cronin entertained the committee, and a very pleasant evening was spent.