VALEDICTORY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 253, 6 August 1937, Page 3

VALEDICTORY

FAREWELL TO MR E. J. O’BRIEN. WORK FOIR LOCAL ORGANISATIONS. Tributes to the work of Mr E. J. O’Brien, for the Advance Ashburton Association and the Ashburton Boxing Association was paid at a meeting of representatives of these organisations last evening. The occasion took the form of a, farewell to Mr O’Brien, who is the district manager for the Public Trust Office, and lias been transferred on promotion to Pukekohe. The president of the Boxing Association (Mr H. D. Johnston), who presided, said Mr O’Brien was one of the foundation members of the Advance Ashburton Association, and its president for years. He was secretary of the Boxing Association for a time and made a great success of his work. He was known to be an energetic worker, both in sport and in business. He would give any assistance asked in any matter. The speaker congratulated Mr O’Brien on his well-deserved promotion and presented him with a travelling rug on behalf of the organisations concerned. The president of • the Advance Ashburton Association (Mr M. J. Burgess) referred to the work of Mr O’Brien as secretary of the Labour Day Gala-for a period of four or five years. Mr ’O’Brien had taken in a few thousand pounds from the Gala by his endeavours, he said. It was mainly through his efforts as secretary that in years past it had made profits of about £SOO. He had shown enthusiasm in his work. As far as sport was concerned, he had made it his ambition to get the best men for Ashburton. He did not worry about time or labour, and hundreds had come along to see these men. But for his good work in the Gala the Association could not have pulled through the last four or five years. After retiring from his position he had still given the benefit of his experience by assisting. Messrs F. B. Robilliard and J. B." Cullen also paid tributes to Mr O’Brien’s work. Mr O’Brien replied briefly, saying that he regretted the Advance Ashburton Association had fallen on lean times, but it would come into its own again, even'if its nature were changed. Tie had spent a happy time in his connection with the Boxing Association.