SOCIAL GATHERING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1627, 19 December 1912, Page 5

SOCIAL GATHERING.

HARBOUR BOARD AND OFFICERS. Members of the Wellington Harbour Board and senior officers in. the service of the boanl met together at the invitation of the chairman (Mr. R. Fletcher) last night, and spent a pleasant hour or two after the usual monthly meeting of tho board had concluded.

In setting the gathering in motion, Air. Fletcher brTifly referred to the past year's operations, and expressed the belief that 1913 would be a very prosperous year indeed, l'.i England at the present time there was an amount of prosperity that had not bean manifest for some years, and the same tiling was to be raid of America. In New Zealand there had been a marked advance- in one. of our great products, and this, together with tho excellent season that had been experienced, the favourable prices ruling, and the large amount of exports foreshadowed a prosperous time for ' ieoplc- of this country. He wished B n present a very merry Christmas and" a bright New Yenr.

Among .tho toasts honoured during the evening n-ere: "The King"; "The Board's Solicitors," proposed by Mr. C. W. Jones, and responded to by Mr. C. H. Iznrd; "Tho Staff," proposed by Str. J. E. Fitzgerald, and responded to by Mr. H. E. Nicholls (secretary), Mr. J. Marchbnnks (engineer), Mr. 0. S. Watkins (Sinking Fund Commissioner), and Captain Johnson (harbourmaster); "Co'mmorce," proposed by Mr. J. G. tfitrkness, and responded to by Mt. A. M'Farlane; "The Press," proposed by Mr. J. Cobbe, mid responded to by Mr. G. Osborne; and "The Chairman!" proposed by Mr. C. E. Daniell. Songs and stories filled tho vacant spaces.