A POPULAR PRESIDENT.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17118, 13 April 1921, Page 10

A POPULAR PRESIDENT.

. mr: a. peverill honoueed.^ Mr A. pV'erill, who recently retired from the presidency of the Christchuroh 'Workingmen'a Club to take -up the position of secretary of the Canterbury Licensed, Vaetusltehs' 'Association,' was the guest,of honour at a. social gathering held last evening in the club's Social HalL Mr J. Hatfield, vice-president of the club, was in the chair, and amongst those present were the Mayor, Mr G. Witty, M.P., and Mr R. C. Bishop. i Speeches highly euogistio of the work done by Mr Peverill during 1 his term of office as resident of the club weie made by the Jftayor, Mr Witty, M.P., and Mr 11. B. Bishop, and the gain of the Licenaad Victuallers' Association at the lose of ••he t-luß was emphasised. Mr Peverill'e health, was enthusiastically honoured; and was fittingly responded to. i ' Latex in the evening Mr Peverill. was presented with several tokens of the high esteem in which he is held by the club. Mr JDas. "Thompson, senior trustee, and an old member of the club, on behalf of the member 3 of. the club, asked Mr Beverill to, accept a cheque for Mrs Pevexill to recompense her slightly, for the deprivation of her nusband's company while he was engaged on the club's business. Mr Thompson Baid that nobody, unless he'possessed the coaxing, convincing personality of Mr Poverill. could • have induced the committee, and trustees to embark on the building schema -which Mr PeveriH had piopoaed, and bad carried out. (Applause.) • Mr PeveriH, in acknowledging the giflt, said that no wonder the committee and trustees. had been taken' considerably aback wihen asked to consider a scheme that involved an expenditure of £ 10,100.- He showed how the scheme had proved successful, and mentioned that last year the, club had wiped off £3OOO from its mortgage. When, he took up the position of president the membership was 300; it was now 1086. Tho chairman, on. behalf of the committee, tfie trustees, the secretary, and the treasurer, presented Mr Poverill with a gold-mounted cigar holder and a number of cigars, and Major J. P. Oakes, on behailf of she club's Defence Rifle dub, made a suitable presentation. Major'Oakes stated that the Rifle Club was indebted \6 Mr Poverill for teing instrumental in presenting to it o, cup, to be known as the Christchurch. Workmjmen's Club Rifle Defence Cmb's Aggregaite Championship Cup, to be fired for annually, ond to be won three years in succession, or five years at intervals. Mr Peverill fittingly acknowledged both presentations. During the evening a number of toasts were honoured, and Beveral vooal and other items were given. Before the gathering broko up all present stood m silence for a minute out of respect to the late. Mr George A'Oouii, a life member of the club, who died at Lake Coleridge on Monday. It was announced that the funeral would take place eft the .Bromley cemetery this afternoon.