PRESENTATION TO MR H. W. PARSONS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1834, 7 May 1888, Page 3

PRESENTATION TO MR H. W. PARSONS

Ou Friday evening a large number of I farmers and others met m the*SeafieJd •choolroom f .r the pnrpose of presenting aa il!umina'ed address to Mr H. W. Parsons previous to hta departure from the district to permanently reside on his f.rm at ChertEcy. A programme of vocal and instrumental mnsic was gone through, after which the Cr airman, Mr D. Brace, briefly explained the Rpecfal ol j;ct of Sheg&theclas. He deeply vegtet'ed Mr Paraor.a was lowing Ssafield, and that he wqb only but feebly expressing the sentiments of every settler m tho district when he assured Mr and Mra Parsons that they were both held In the highest esteem, and that they would carry away with them many hearty good wishes for their future health and prosperity, He wan about to ask Mr Parsons to accept a small token of their regard for himself and family, and he would ask Mr Oarr to read an address which had been prepared. Mr Carr then read as follows: — To Henry Wm. P arsons, Fsq , Dear Sir, — We, the undersigned farmers and others resident m and around Seafield, deeply regret you and your family are leaving the district. In giving expression to that regret we desire to place ou record our high appreciation of your value as a kind and obliging neighbor and an honest man of sterling worth. Daring your eight years residence m Seafield both yourself and Mrs Parsons have alwaye displayed the truest neighborly kiodness and courtesy towards all with whom you have come m contact, and you have ever shown a readiness to assist m any matters that have been for the good of the distriot, You have always been held In the very highest esteem by everysettler, and m taking your departure from Seafield you leave behind you many warm friends and admirerß, but not one Blngle enemy. What we say of yourself appllea equally to your respected wife and the other members of your family, and we now ask you to accept this short address aa a Btnall token of^ the esteem m which you are held by us. In doing so we beg moßt sincerely to assure you that m leaving Seafield you carry with you to your new place of abode at Chertasy our 'heartiest good wishes for your future bapplneßß and prosperity. We shall ever hold you and your family m the moat kindly remembrancej and we now beg to subscribe ourselves you»s very sinoanly, Here follow some forty signatures. Mr Parsons briefly thaaked the Chairman and the large number of others assembled for the very kindly reoeption that had bcea accorded him, and assured the donors that the address would be very highly prsz)d both by himself and the other members of hlB family Mr J. Lambie then addressed the meeting, and m doing so referred m warm terms to the ever-ready way m which both Mr and Mrs Pat son a would always perform a neighbourly kindness, Mr Paraona waß a man of very high moral worth, and both himself and Mrs Parsons had deservedly won the very highest esteem of every inhabitant m Seafield. He (Me Lambie) deeply regretted they were leaving the district, as they had proved themselves settlers of a rare good stamp, and the best neighbors one could possibly have. Mr D. Thomas also bore testimony, to the high esteem m which Mr and Mrs Parsons were held, and to the universal kl doees they were always ready to chow. The pro eedinga m conneotion with the presentation were brought to a c'obj with cnuaica' honors, and thiee ringing cheers for the two prioclfal guests of the evening. Dancing was then Indulged m till the morning bad aomewh&t adva^oed, when what had been an exceedingly pleasant and social gathering broke up. The address has been beautifully illuminated by Mr A. H. EUrt, of Christohurcb, and will be put Into a masaive gilt frame before being finally consigned to the keeping at Mr Parsons. The donors were anxious to give their old friend and neighbor something that he could look upon with p'easure, and the workmanship Mr Hars baa pat into the address ia of very high artistic merit,