ELOQUENT TRIBUTES PAID

Chronicle (Levin), 6 May 1947, Page 4

ELOQUENT TRIBUTES PAID

THE LATE MR. DAVIE'S FINE SERVICE IN LEVIN . ^ The deep regret' felt in the community at the death of Mr. WiD liam Davie.„ was given expresMon to at the Levin Rotary Club's luncheon yesterday. Eloquent tributes were paid to the high sense of citizenship he displayed throughout his 23 years' residence in Levin, while reference was made to the loss the town and club had suffered in his passing. "Today we moum the loss of a real friend," said the president, Rotarian E. R. Winkler, "and one of those whp practised Rotary's ideals of service throughout ■ his everyday life." He said that Mr. Davie's deep srncerity, integrity and open-handed generosity had made him a good citizen in its fullest sense, and had won, him the community's highest esteem. Mr. Winkler went on' to say that with the eoming of Rotary to Levin, Mr. Davie had found an outlet for those high ideals he had practised elsewhere. He had been a charter member of the ' club and at tne time of his death one of its directors. The club deeply- regretted the loss of a good friend and Rotarian. "Those who have lived longer than I have in Levin know that never has a worthy ' object been brougiit before the notice of the people which has / not, perhaps unostentatiously thoqgh, had' the assistance of Mr. Davie," said Rotarian H. B. Burdekin, in adding his tribute as Mayor of Levin. He had been struck by references he had heard to the extraordinary generosity shown by Mr. Davie to those in need during the depression years of 1930, •1931' and 1932. At the funeral on Sunday the high respect in which he was held had been, manifested, the gathering of retuined servicemen which filed past their late comrade's grave being the largest he had ever seen. Levin haq lost one of its finest citizens and" one of a calibre whom it could ill afford 'to lose, continued Mr. Burdekin. It was a time for citizens to pause and come to a full realisation of what Mr. Davie had done in the community, and gain from his service inspiration for their daily lives in the town and inspiration to assist those worthwhile things which Mr. Davie had" helped so greatly. "He played his part as a citizen nobly and well," added the speaker in -conclusion. ' As a mark of respect to the memory of their friend, and in sympathy with his widow a*nd family, members stood in silence, while the customary singing and music was dispensed with for the meeting.