COMPLIMENTARY SOCIAL.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1937, 20 December 1913, Page 8

COMPLIMENTARY SOCIAL.

: : ;.,.:t'.vi!i''\vt:i,i; to .mu. GKOutiE.- • M Members of the !itm oi' Messrs! J.' J. Niven and Co., Ltd., met on Thursday evening at Godber's Hall, to say farewell. ti; their managing director, Mr. George Nelson, who left for JCnglaml yosierd'ay. Tiio Mayor (Miv, J. J'. Liike) presided, and there was a largo attendance, including representatives from the iirm'ii branches. ••••' The first toast honoured was that of '.'Tho.Old Fiiin of Luke and Co.proposed by AJr. Lionel Nelson. " He ex,pressed' pleasure- at seeing members of the - old,: tirm present that evening, for ;.ihe' old company had dono great things in' the past.';. reply, : .tho. Hon/. 'C. ,M. Luke thanked.'those present for tho hearty .way : in 1 which they' had honoured. tho i toast."" In-.skimming over the history of -tho old iirni, ■ho stated that-35 years ago his lather had experienced great, difficulty;' in '.establishing engineering .works in Cornwall, and, thinking to do better ■ tilings in a new world, ho set out for Wellington." Arriving liero ho purchased a small business, then carried oil. by Messrs. Gilchrist and Waters, and .50 . tho largo works commenced, which. had recently become amalgamated. with those of Messrs. J. J. Nivcn and' Co. Tho firm was successful from the start, and within three years they undertook a contract for building a small vessel for Napier, called the Woka, which is still in existence. Tho firm also built tho steamer Matai, which at the time was said to bo tho largest steamer built south of tho Line, and tho first built of steel plates ill New Zealand.

Amongst the numerous contracts carried out by the firm was tho construction of seventeen hydraulic cranes for the Wellington wharves. Tho guest ,of tho evening was going to tho Old Country to got new ideas, and ho wished him a profitable aiid enjoyable trip. "We iro still abiding with you," concluded Mr. Luke, "and will bo associated ill tiio enterprise of carrying on the new company, and t trust success will always follow the firm." The next toast, that of "J. J. Niven and C 0.." was coupled with tho nanio of Mr. George Nelson, tho guest of tho evening. Tho. chairman, who proposed ■ tho toast,'dwelt oil Mr. Nelson's many excellent'qualities. A proper harbour nt Napier was owe of tho matters ho (Mr. Nelson) had in view, and this would be an accomplished fact before many years had passed. With such a man at tho head of tho firm it was hound to succeed.;- ■■■■ 111 reply,- Mr, Nelson said that tho foregoing speeches rather suggested to iiimi 1 that most of tho talent lay with the old linn. (Laughter.) He hoped the ..union of tho two firms would ■ result in nothing but good to tho parties concerned. Though no developments had been made as yet, plans we're in preparation for certain improvements oi' a definite character. Tho firm had not been able to secure adjacent property in order to extend their works, and they would have to carry on as they were. Jn speaking of the industrial upheaval, he said that co-opera-tion must- lie their watchword, and_ if tliey worked t( gather the cost of living might go down and the valuo of wages increase. In conclusion, ho thanked them for tho kindly manner in which they ■ had drunk his health. Several other toasts were honoured, and a musical programme was much j enjoyed.