A WELL-MERITED PRESENT.

Evening Star, Issue 4215, 30 August 1876, Page 3

A WELL-MERITED PRESENT.

About twenty gentlemen, including the City Councillors, Messrs Ramsay, Street, Grant, &c., assembed at the Mayor's room this aften oon to witness the the presentation to Mr Tnnbrdge, master of the cutter Jane, in recognition of the braVery displayed by him on a recent occasion. His Woeship said the object of the meeting was to present a testimonial to a worthy specimen of the 2?rmsh sailor. As those present were aware of the Circumstances under which Mr Tunbridge nobly saved the lives of fellow-mariners, nothing he (the Mayor) could say in praise of his conduct would add to the noble effort made on behalf of shipwrecked sailors- On the morning of August 3 a small vessel capsized, her crew of four persons managing to scramble on to her keel. The sea was exceedingly rough, and the weather tempestuous j but Mr Tunbridge, who saw thetr danger, bore down upon them in his small craft, and, when within s short distance of the shipwrecked people, ho put forward alone to their assistance in his dingy—a veritable “cockleshell” —and within a short time had the satisfaction of placing on board his vessel those four men who would undoubtedly have perished but for his courage and intrepidity. [Tun ing to Mr Tunbridge.] This valuable watch, chain, and Appendages were subscribed for by a few gentlemen in Dunedin as a token of the esteem in which that act of his was held by! them, and it was hoped in after life, when he looked at the watch, he would always have the same heroic sentiments and determination to save the lives of fellow-creatures in distress, should the occasion for doing so His Worship concluded by Landing the watch to Mr Tunbridge, with an expression of the hope that he might live long to wear it. Mr Tusbeidos made a short rep’y. Ho felt very grateful for the honor done him, which showed there were open hearts in Dunedin. He had merely done his duty, as any seaman in similar circumstances would nave done, and bad the dan er been double what it was, he would have made the same efforts to save his fellow-creatures or perished with them.

The watch, which bore the following inscription, “Presented to Joseph Tunbridge, master of the cutter Jane, by a number of gentlemen in Dunedin, in recognition of his bravery and skill in saving the crew of the Dagmar in a heavy gale on the 3rd August, 1876,” cost about fifty guineas, and was obtained from Mr G. Young, Princes street.