FOR CIVIC SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1471, 20 June 1912, Page 6

FOR CIVIC SERVICE.

councillor: honoured.

PRESENTATION T.& MK. JOHN SMITH,

A unique evcnt i'ii local civic politics] was the public, appreciation wh'iqh was accorded to Councillor John Smith by a i number of leading, citizens, of Wellington at an interesting ai'terriiioii. lea. function, which took place in the ('oncer! .'"Qham-bir,-fl'owu Hail, y.e-lerday :i'i.tei:iiof.i!). when' Mr. Smith' -wab .a. purse of suvere.igus and a luuid-oinely-i'ranied photograph of himself, lis. a inafk of the esteem in v;hic;h he was held, by: the community .at large .for' .his.pe^soiVa'l. character and long ami valuable' period of service iu civic affairs generally. The Mayor '(Mr. D\ .M'Lfifeii)' presided., and there were amongst. Others.:— Messrs. John Duthio. T. .M. Wili'ord, M.l'„ J. G. \V. Aitken, and the Hon. i". M. Luke, M.L.C.. all .o.f whom had .iii the past occupied the Mayoral chair of this city. The 'slathering .also included a number of ■'.'city- ..councillors, ex-city', councillors, a.nd -members of' institutions, with which Councillor Smith w.a's;. or had; been, identified during his career as a servant of the public, Apa'ngios received for unavoidable' iiibseiico- wc'r.e- " received from, amongst others. Dr. Newman fan ex-Mayor of NV.elliiig.toivji ;nul Mrs, Wili'ord.

Growth of the. City. j The Mayor, irij qpeiiiiig "tlie. jjirocecclirigSi | observed that the- ir.Srked a new and iiitere.-iing depart iii ,! in the atTairs, of the city, wiieiv citizens of the sianding of those pre.-ent gotiu-rat together to mark their iipiirei'iaf'on of the sH'vicfs of a eouneillor wli.i had given, his 'ti.nyc- ■ and attention to civic: affairs for oyer a quarter of a century;. ■ Few people, he imagined, realised, the extent of the changes which- ...h/n'd.Vta.kpii ;plartv, in ■ Wrf-.. liiigton during,; ,: .t)i.at: peripilv Jlr, .Smi.t.lv bccaine a city'.'co.iufcillpr. i.'n Soptember of )BSS— twenty-seveii year's . ago -and ■ the aggregate of h^3^y} : e , !^rs^ , p^: , ■ge^yice , ''i}i i the citv's interests : Jt6feUW;fepmcth]rigrl}^i-eit ; 24 "and 25 vear's. Ir-Biiririg". thcit time, Wellington.' as a e.ity. inul- been prac-. ticallv" remade, and enlarged in i-iauy respects. When Mi-. Smith . entered tlm City Council numbered 2.1.000 ;' ; to:-ilay : .it.. tptailed,Gs,oot!..' The capital value, had increased,/luring Mr. Smith's period. of servic?; from £4,200,000 to over. ,i:!S.fiWi.Oi!ll. The city's area had increased.thr'eei'plil,.its'iiopiuntioH.: threefold, and its capital, value iiy . four and a half tiines. Tlii.y was a tremendous growth within the period of one man's active fervi.ce7S-.a';ser.y.ife ! chSracterr.: ised by painstaking and.-faithful labour. Such was tiie iTspon?ibilities attached, to eivie service, tliat few peopleo'ealised.what..the resiMiiisibilities of civic >eryic« meant, to-day, to those who, like Comieillpr Smith', voluntarilv gave their" energies' :to, that.ie.l'F'. vice. 'Originally;V;the;<;areft.:;of city; liad asgrc^^ite(l L :' i<)ine: the inclusion had ad(1c4:;.32;10 acres to this area. ; f H./1007, ■acres the lvarori district.'Sful GGO*.ci.f.. : thel..Qnsiow' borough had 'L'lio following year.'ridded snriio ,: 43o_ of the; Karori borough?, to;!^..Greater;wWellingtoiiy/ and also a sm'.'.U portion \if the Onslow, borough, bringing 'the total itereaee of. the city to 0yer,;;9500.'; ferred to the excellent- work' which .'.had been done by -CVuncillor 'Sinith- 'dnriiig this period of!• eivic 'development,: 'to his' earnestness tine. During that period lie had. served as (lepiity-Jlayor,'';,an(l''.chairmii''if pfl.tho.; two most. i t'- JS- the. Tramways and.-riname ( o-timi'-tecs—as well asfhii vi ;.beeifv!.Li iiy nddit50i1.,.; chairman of pra'etically.'■■e\S l i'jv;otl.ier : ;,cbmi'; mi'tee. Also, J[r. ; Smith had. served en the Licensing iConiinitte.e,-;;Hhe : . \\'elliii.c;-; ton Industrial;A.'sJjocia 1 ion;■ : .."the l .-Te'qhnicall: Education BoardKjh.e;^ itable Aid Eoard''fof: \vhiVli";;ho' ~ \'as ..still a member), man of the Weilingtrin .Ttchnieal Institute. The sneaker reviewed the important public/ Korks j-nhich had been carried out during this era, and with which Councillor.-. Smith':liad .tiecu nsspciateil, and remarked tint-he did not believe that Councillor . Smith had made a single enemy during all: tlnviv years:' fHear, hear.) Hi.V i 'j:exsori , ai:..|| , n' , a l>3en appreciate.'! by the citixeiis AVellington. andJ^be;;.^ pleased to havo(:ha(l 'of -sa3'-: in? so. i (Applau?^)jV> : ;H^V:,^ ,, -\'X:''. ; ■;.' T!?ferring to.: ; : ;..tlie;Vfranic<l; ...:piiofbgrapli' which accompdnl«di v ;thel;piirk«'Vof>Wyej<. 1 ' eigns, tho Mayor: said that thev would esteem it a favour if the 'rccinient woiild allow tlicni fo . hang l it.' in.-.the Council Chamber. He\6pnd tlie hone that O'ouiK'illni .Sriiit.ir y.'ouldiijd: with them for manv vears to crtme, and enjoy the very be.,t nf heelth. (Ap. plausc.) i

Tribute by Ex-Mayors. Speaking as ii :i>nii>i- jlayor- of V/.eU Jington, Mr, J<)liji!-]JDutliio rtiv'Ahe' wluch luul maC-'oitncil lorCoi'hiilrs' ier'vjcc in civic liaclf upon, •?t /V VS .ii^uciai.ioiv Willi Councillor,:Sinitit^jiv.tivc'.niliiijjiii-irii-tion of the corpoVation's busine-s, Sir. JJuthie said tlia^Et.liß^^qtViicir' : :ftfc-'tli'at period, always looked;>■ t'oV-'alicl■ -\vii : islljoiV Councillor Smilh's opinion—his matured judgment upon tiuestiiiVs of .inonient -,vas valuable. He :!uul; : ;invmimT particularlv the involved iuid delic-ato negotiation's connected withi Jthferacquiremrist; ."of' -t'lio To Aro foreshor.e':':': Councillor Smith was chairman of th» committee appointed,to deal with that liiatter, and the spirit in which t^u^se; ; -werC 'C'on- J ducted, and the . adroitness .wilh wliieh' difficult points were liiet,"admittedly saved' the city unlimited.'.:l itiga tioh/■'.aiitlie' service then renderal.S'.-.by/''' -Councillor Smith should not-''.-.b#'forgottenV.:T:V(HK hear.) 31 r. Diitli'ib;^jiaid;;a; ; i liiltV. ti : ibuta ti) Councillor Sniith'sl disinterestedness., of; purpose, and said'.'tha!. he. wiis j;lo.d to sea that citi7.ens'f;.':hon6ured ! .'this way. Ho knew'of r.o man who liad-por-formed more satisfactory service to the eitv. (Appbtuso.) ......

Ifr. T. M. Witi'ord endorsed Hie remarks of the prov;on>. s)oa!;i-rs. .and. commented upon tho absurd.-.Tcgiilation:' which gave a Mayor onlyi'iiviVye^ before another oleotion took place. . Thus placed, a ney ;Mayor.:.was indebted to such veteran a(ivi=ars as !;.'CouneiHor Smith for the performani.-e of his eivic' duties,' ,-is well as to the;:::cprpbratibft?:inflicers; vrlit his own experiencft'he'S'hadi'beM indebted to Councillor-. Smit'ri for li'is' assistance in that 're=pf;-t; The value of such ■ faithful public' service was incalculable, said the speaker. ; r .,

The Hon. C. ' Councillor,.Smith.::in. Reoly. In reply, Coutfyilor'SmitKv .-'whtf-. considerably affected by the cordiality of the gathering, said;: ; thbt; he'lindV.biit 'peri formed what he,conceived to hp tlie rhify of every man who hail .the:, time to. devote to the service of his 'fellow' citizens in some way. He had tried to do.his and he felt cohscin:'s that there' w«re occasions wMren.SheVJiad.ifsoiiictimea.ifaile'd', to accomplish "n;hat'-lip '-iniglit":-i.h tiv'd. Vacr? complished. His soiwuv- aggregated some twenty-six years,, but 'his wm*k' h'ad ; .been only as one of conimittoe or other., of men''.appointed to carry out certain tilings, and. lie. desh-e'd to take no creditor.: whaljgKa4 ! complished by his-fellow councillors noting in concert. his work on the To Aro Foreshore' C'om.inittee; he had be'eiv brbiwht. up on the foreshore, and knew .the yactijn.l.rposit'iiiii of affairs. His ovidenre'iri a'! ease nivp!v----in s ' n claim t'nr .£8.0,A00 v liad: tuniedlho scale in favour of the eoi purafiiin. lie had given thai evident,; relnetanlly, jrnif; nnlv when lie .{he; ; ]iijsiiipii was .■nd:in\'eivd bv tin' app.tknt lyhietaiuv (if others equally l ioiiiiittoiiiv to. spedk<--liad they ili:-v!;. T.!u-; «i"Mil;w limoliKlcd with an Occupants of the May.',nil i-l.nir, ami 'sijnilie.l his willingness? !hat the . ;p.)"i'btf>h: should adorn tlie'■ f;*o'iiivo.il. '^.li'iiiiiViti'i

Cheers for Coiiii'ci 1 tof';' Sm'.i't'h'i umt u hearty vote of thanks to the ■.i!.ani i ai' ot" tit? ViT-entatiun (' oiiiri.il< Mi:. I. (1. \V. Ailken) eoitelu(ifMl;4!^:M^flofnlihgS.