DEAN REGNAULT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 509, 17 May 1909, Page 5

DEAN REGNAULT.

A HUSSENTATION ' "To us you were all iri all On occasion ! you ifere banker, lawpf, lega) adyisor, jpu drew up our ivjlls, found us employment, fought our battles, settled our disputes, jou helped the needy and turned not the bcgga,r . from your door." I Tho quotation is from an address, which, i ■pith a .handsome album and a chequo, was I presented by tho Roman Catholic community i of Waimate to tho* Very Bev. Dean Rcgn.»ult, who has been entrusted with tho'responsibility of the highest psitiqn in the Marist Order in this country, and who will shortly arrive in Wellington to take up hip flew .duties. ' - Th.o presentation was made last Thursday at Watmate,' whero 'Dean Hegnault has worked as a parish priest for the last 21 >oarß The Mayqr (Mr Noiton Francis) prosided'and the Oddrellows 'flpll was filled I to overflowing, tho audience including manj persons not of the same religious communion I no abridge the report of the ''"Wainiato Tlmos" ; J ( Major said he was sure that tho large audience present that evening was a i bettor recognition of tho Dean's uorth than eny album or anything elso they might present to him 'J'licro was no one more popular than ho tjad been (Applause.) 110 poa- . sessed a gojnal disposition, a ready tact in a critical moment, 110 himself in his public capacity had received help from him in (jet- | ting round awliuard corners Many of [ho teaohcre in tho district wore indebted to tho i Ufian foi their knowledge of French, vhioh ho most gladly taught , them. When they gpt a man broid-minded liUo tho Dean, they *oio glad to soo such m p\iblio jifo. And tho Dean had dono his share in souiring both water and gas m Waimate (Applause) As e member ot the Cometory Board lie had also taken an active part, 'lhcn the bands had come that evening to do tho Dean honour (Applause) The Dean jub naturally ipodest, yet ho was always available fortpublio meetings and road} to teryp on committees It was ag a public speaker tliat they perhaps ' know him best, as when thcio was anything of importance to bo dono ho was always there. Jn lojalty, poacp or war they could iiot beat thp Dean. An a business man ho had alijp shown great capability In a short tirno he had been instrumental in electing a church that l.ould bp an qrnainont to onj tonn It ga\e his Worship gieat pleasure to acknowledge j;lio Dean's vajuo as a citizen. (Applause) 'Iho address, wkioli was a lengthy one, mentioned as inpmoriale of fho Dnan's bll'inoss ability coupled with indomitable courage and energy, tbo oxcolloiit hnuncial state ot the parish, thp substantial credit to tho parochial account, thp school account, and altar society account, 22 acroß of land, two cottages for educational purposes, n smi" proshvterv. a modest convent, tho Jforven, the MakiKihi, and the Hakotaramoa rlmrnks, planned and built and paid for Sovoral speaker eulogised tho departing clprgjman Dean Rognault, on n'sing to reply, was iecoived with prolonged ohoprs In the cours" of his address he snoko nf the plpnsnrp and satisfaction he derived from lrppnitmp a knowledge of Climtirin tmth to his peopl", partinilarly to the diililron, thnt UiowbcVc not boing imparted to them in the pnbf'C Bohools, and It that tliov niiould he brought nnd"r the influence of the church / and prjest He felt c;rateful for what these prcßoht hod done- and. slid, 'flies Ind of tin bpen assnomtcd tnßctlmr to prpinot" tho good wnrk in tho town nnd clißtjict Ho look" upon overdone as a fluid pf Ood and ho rendprpd eopiDo when l'TPsidrv Groat cheering followed, as the Dean icHlined lijs seiit