PUBLIC FAREWELL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 34, 19 December 1944, Page 5

PUBLIC FAREWELL

MR L. A. SISAM HONOURED

.'A REPRESENTATIVE GATHERING

Warm tribute's to the worth and efficiency of Mr L. A. Si'sam • on his promotion to the position of Dominion; Inspector for the well known stock agency firm ' the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile were extended at the gathering in the Winter Show Hall last Friday when the offi- ■ cial farewell to this well known businessman drew an. attendance • of some two hundred town and ► district residents. A long toast list featured the evening which centred rounjd. the fact that a local 'boy' born and bred in the Eastern Bay had been singled out for the singular honour of occupying the second position for a firm the size of the Loan and Mercantile Agency. Maori any! Pakeha were represented and speakers generally were warm in their praises, .for the manner in which Mr Sisam during his long perioti of control had assisted in the. various activities of the community of both races. Mr W. Roberts- who occupicd the chair opened proceedings by proposing the. toas-t to 'Cheerful Yesterdays.' He touched briefly upon "the early days ol' settlement and delivered a homely upon brevity . not necessarily being the sole of wit. .He asked the guest of the evening to carry away with him thoughts of the goofcl fellowship which lie knew would preside at this his farewell gathering. Proposing the toast to the guest *of the evening Mr J. Grant (Galatea) said he had known him since Jiis boyhood. He recalled the time when Mr Sisam liad-bcfen offered an important position in the Argentine but he, the speaker, had assisted in pursuading him to stay. He considered that in doing so he hafcl done ■a good thing for the Bay of Plenty. 'Pete' had starte from bedrock and hjtfl climbed to the top of the tree. All who had,watched and known him were proud of the fact that he had done so Avell. During his period as manager he hajd always done far inore than - was necessary in order to be- of service to the people of the district. Other speakers were Messrs A. Miller (W. and R, Fletcher) } G. Otlcy (Whakatane Businessmen), J. H. Kt.id (Opotiki) D. Pearse (Farmers' Auctioneering Co) •and A. Stewart (Maori Residents). Mr Arthur Hall then presented Mr Sisam with a silver tea service which he said hoped would serve to remind him of his numerous friends in the Bay of Plenty. Responding Mr Sisam said he had .been overwhelmed at the nature of the gathering and the genuine *warmth of friendship which had been ■-extended to him. Much had been .said of his promotion but he.■would like to pay a tribute, to his, own staff many of whom were now ovcr- > seas, who had backed him so sp'encjti'idly through the years of his man--agership. It was. onty possible to succfeed when one had an efficient •and qualified staff behind one. Regarding the friendly competition between his own firm anjj those of the brother agencies operating in Whakatane, he said that it had been keen hut always clean. He had enjoyed their association to the ut...most. Speaking of Mr Brown ? his he said he. was a man of sterling - qualities who, though not an entire stranger to the people of this town and district woul);l ? he was ..sure win for himself the same loyal friendships that had been his own experience. He thanked all present for their kindly sentiments and ask--dd Mr Albert Stewart to carry his ■ appreciation to the. Maori people. Other toasts honoured were. as. follows: 'The Fighting Services' Mr C. R. Wilson —Messrs J. Stewart and J D. Wilson; 'The Farming Community' Mr L, Buddie—Mr W. A. McCrdcken; 'Mr and Mrs Len Sisam, Snr' Mr, J. Creeke —Mr Len Sisam; 'The. Visitors' Mr B. S. Barry—Mr -J. Burn-Murdoch (Wright, Stephenson); 'Absent Friends' Mr A. C. Sutherland; 'Mr L. H. Brown' Mr T. Brassey—Mr L. H. Brown; 'The Ladies' Mr B. Sladden; 'Stock and ; Station Agents' Messrs C. F. Eivers C. Gordon—Messrs C. J. Agar and H. Ariderson; 'The Business -Community' Mr Les Luxton —Mr A. T. Bridger. Much appreciated items during the •evening were given by Mr R. H. Haeusler (lightning sketches) f Mr -J. Denham (solos) and Messrs Alan Stewart and Sisam Bros.