AFTER FIFTY YEARS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 50, 22 November 1917, Page 6

AFTER FIFTY YEARS

OF CIVIC SERVICE

PRESENTATION TO MR. JAMES AMES The staff of the City Council assembled in the Mayor's Itoom at 5 o'clock last evening to do honour to i\)r. James Ames (city valuer), who oil Thursday last completed his liftioth .year of sorvico with the Wellington municipality. The gathering included all the principal heads of departments, and tho majority of the clerical staffs. Tho Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke, C.M.G.), who occupied the chair, said lie was present at the invitation of the staff of tlm City Council, who wished to extend to their friend and colleague, Mr. James Amos, the city valuer, congratulations oil tho attainment of his fiftieth year of service. There were few people in New Zealand who coukl claim 50 years' continuous service, in municipal work, particularly in the one undertaking. Mr. Allies had started before there was a City Council—when it a Town Board, and a very small body. Tie 01 r. Luk"'l had had the privilege of knowing Mr. Ames for 43 years, and could say that during those years lie lind never heard anyone refer to Mr. Ames other than i» terniß of the highest approbation. His work as city valuer h"'! present"'! some very peculiar and difficult, problems indeed, and had he not been a man of very special eapaeitv. and of th<> p'rictest, honesty, be would sooner or Mer have been browrlit to fhe ground. Vorlnnatelv hp had both fl'n before-mentioned qualities in a .marked dowse. D'ir>"£ the whole time he (I'm had been connected with (lie municipality, he had never once hon>-'! Mr. Ames diso.irage any of his folleifriies. but with his genial disposition .lie was nlvivs the one to promote comradeship. Mr. Ames's example was one that. the young men on the staff should all endeavour to emulate bv cultivating a spirit, of honesty and lovalty to til" service. The high appreciation of Mr. Ames's services feH by Iho members of the comic'! had found expression in a resolution which had hemi carried by acclamation. The Mnvor also paid a graceful tribute to Mrs. Ames, and mentioned that. Mr. Arthur Ames (son of Mr. James was with the Forces abroad. TTe ' ,n d much pleasure in presenting Mr. A'"os, oil behalf of the staff, with a roller-top desk, suitably inscribed.

The T"\vn Or'.- (Mr. Tno. P. endorser! everything the Mayor lnd said. The appreciating tliev all fell for Mr. Ames's genial qualities as a brother officer wis such that they all called him "Dad," and looked upon him as "'Had." Mr. Ames was renllv a wonder in intellect, and nhvsioue. He was an example of a coed life well spent, and he (Mr. Palmerl hoped thaiMr. Ames -would retain his health and vigour for manv years to come.

Tho cit-v engineer (Mr. W. 17. Morton) also expressed his keen admiration for Mr. \mes. and Wished him many years of health and happiness. Mr. .Tames Dovle (chief inspector! emphasised the solid resn»ot in which Mr. Ames was h"ld hv the staff and the public. To him it was not so much the length of service, hut tho manner of it. Mr. Ames was not an invoHelirate. He had carried nut his duties without fear or favour. He boned that he would yet seo another fifteen or t.wcntv vonrs of service before lie felt the pressure of old age, and would then retire on a handsome superannuation allowance.

Mr. Ames's Reply. In replv, Mr. Ames recounted how lie camo to join the service in much tho same terms as have already r.jv peared in these columns. He said that he had only been once "on the carpet." That was when the board, in a fit of economy,_ dismissed the messenger, and left him alone to carry on'the"duties of Town Clerk, rate collector, and message,hoy. He happened one morning to have a considerable sum of money in hand, so be mad" out a bank slip, locked the office, and wont to the bank to deposit tho money. When he got hack the Mayor (Mr. James Dransfield) was there, and thinking he had just arrived at tho office for tho first time that morning, questioned him, and, on finding out the truth; said that tho offioo must never he closed. Mr. Ames asked what ho was to do, as ho had no assistance whatever. "Call an emergency meetins; for next Monday." replied Mr. Dransfield. So tliev had tho meeting and decided to reinstate the messenger.

Comparative Values of the City. Mr. Ames said that when lie joined the service in 1867 the capital value of tlie city was £670,551, the annual value was £40,233, and tho rates amounted t0.£2835 per annum. In 1917 the capital value was £20,0/o,2fiq, the annual value, £1,204.215, and the incomo from rates, £180,000.

Services 111-Paid. The trouble, said Mr. Ames, was that ho had stayed too long in the service. He should have gone out twentyfive or thirty years ago, and gone into business outside. Now ho was going out—without any superannuation. He had lived beyond it. "I would say to any of tho young fellows who have the opportunity of bettering themselves go out. Don't study the corjwration —they won'fr study you. I started at £125 a year, and it was years beforo I got £150 a year, and after thirty-fivo years' sorvico I was getting the magnificent salary of £250 a year, and at that time I was valuing the city, making out the burgesses' ■ roll, and conducting elections. For ten years, too, I worked for the Licensing Bench, and so saved tho citv £50 a year. I say, when you get the chance, go out, because this is not the best place to stop in. Tlie Mayor and city councillors are all fine fellows, and all that sort of thing. Why, if I'd been in the Civil Service I. would have been getting a big salary. When the Government got a man to value the city in 1881, they bad to pay him £600-and at that time I was getting £150. _ Many peonle think lam well off. Sir, how could I be well off on the salary I have been cetting?" Finally, Mr. Ames thanked the staff for tho spirit which had prompted the gift, and also thanked the Mayor and other officers for the kind things they had said about him.