VALEDICTORY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 52, 20 November 1946, Page 5

VALEDICTORY

MR AND MRS J. J. CORBETT

MILL ENGINEER FAREWELLED

After spending nearly nine years in Whakatane, Mr and Mrs J. J. Corbett, who have been prominently associated with the establishment and progress of the Paper Mills were farewelled officially by staff members and their friends at a special gathering in the King Street Hall last Friday evening. In December 1937, Mr and Mrs Corbett arrived from England where Mr Corbett had received notification of his appointment as installation engineer for the then newlylaunched Paper Mills project in Whakatane. Mr Corbett played a prominent part in the earlier days of the mill, and was directly in charge of the heavy machinery which was imported from Scandinavia, and from the Old Country. This delicate and important task was completed, and he accepted the post of Chief Engineer to the Mills when they commenced operation. During their sojourn here, Mr and Mrs Corbett have made many friends throughout the Bay of Plenty, and to use their own words, are extremely loath to leave the Dominion where such lavish hospitality has been shown them, and where they have spent so many happy years amongst the peoples of the Bay of Plenty and South Auckland. Last Friday’s gathering was the culmination of numerous small farewells, and was promoted mainly by the Sports and Social Committee of the Paper Mill employees. Mr Ernest Brown, Mill Manager, in presenting a silver tray and tea service to the guests of the evening, expressed the kindly thoughts and goodwill of their association in Whakatane, and trusted that they would continue to find happiness and success in whatever sphere of life they chose.' He presented Mrs Corbett with a carved Maori tiki as a momento of the Whakatane district.

Mr Corbett, in response, expressed his deep appreciation of the kindliness shown to them both. He had spent many happy years in the Whakatane district, and would never forget the true friends he had discovered. He could safely say the same sentiments on behalf of his wife, who had likewise enjoyed every minute of her stay in the district.

The evening took the form of an informal dance, for which music was provided by Mr Horrie Waite, who also entertained in his usual capable manner. Mr George Markland (President of the Sports Committee) made an excellent M.C. Both Mr and Mrs Corbett, who left for Auckland yesterday, desire to express their thanks to all friends for their kind wishes through the medium of this paper. They have explained that the last-minute rush, possibly prevented their contacting personally as many of their acquaintances as they would like to have done.