THE FATHER OF AUCKLAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 168, 27 July 1901, Page 3

THE FATHER OF AUCKLAND.

RETIREMENT OF TPIE A’ENERABLE

MAYOR,

A GENEROUS AND PATRIOTIC CITIZEN.

(Special to Times.) Auckland, last night. Dr Logan Campbell (Alayor of Auckland) bade farewell last night to the .Municipal Council over whose deliberations he has presided for no short term. He has bidden a final good-b3'e to public life, in which he has played a part that no future citizen can ever take. Auckland will have many worthy sons, but will never have another father. We (says an Auckland journal) trust that he may' be granted many years of restful age, made soft and pleasant by the knowledge that j the city which was conceived in his brain and nursed by- his foresight progresses steadily in population and prosperity. Nor could we wish greater gifts to our future generations than that they maybe worthy of the fearless planning, tile patient undertaking, the unfaltering devotion, and the stainless probity of him whom they will rightly immortalise in stone and in story as “The Father of Auckland,” Our “ Empire builders ” assume many guises. They come as adventurous sailors, undaunted soldiers, self-sacrificing missionaries, pushing traders, daring explorers, scientific engineers, , religions exiles, land-hungry- settlers—in j an endless series of transmutations —but Auckland may well be proud and grateful . that in the unassuming gentleman whom j she put forward as her worthiest in honor f alike to herself and to the heir of the throne of Great Britain at his landing among us, she has known anc] benefited :

by an Empire-building of a type rarelyequalled, and still more rarely excelled ; nor will it ever be said in this instance of

our city tii.it we built into a monument for worthy dead liie stones wliicli wo hurled into contumely at the living. Dr Campbell, in an affectionate speech thanking Auckland for the resolution passeil in reference to his gift of Cornwall i'ark to Auckland, said : I have to thank you for the highly complimentary resolution which you have just passed. The affection you express towards myself is, I am sure, sincere. I will hope it is as well deserved, lint the praise which 3-011 have bestowed upon my gift it would be affectation on my part to count as excessive. I rejoice to think that Cornwall Park is worthy of all that you have said, but it is a still greater joy to 1110 that I have been able to fulfil my life ambition. Again and again, amidst the changing fortunes of 1113- latter years, there have been times when 1 have seen hopes long cherished elude uiv grasp ; yet in the end success has come, and in giving the park to the public f have lived to receive the crowning happiness of 1113- life. (Applause.) The opportunity of endowing a city with a park which shall be worthy of that city’s future greatness is an opportunity which rareiy occurs. It is indeed seldom, except during the infancy of a colony, that the necessary extent of land can be secured. Fortune placed it in 1113power to obtain One Tree Mill estate at a time when an area so large could be purchased, and yet happy fortune has enabled me to keep the property intaet, and finally

to devote it to the end for which it was from tlie first designed. [ will venture to hope that the purpose of Cornwall Park will be attained ; that it will be found a much-needed retreat from the busy cares of city life ; that the surpassing beauty of its scenery will stimulate communion with nature, and that this communion will stetuliljminister to an increasing love of purity

and beamy, and help—as if properly enjoyed it most surely will help—to educate in the people a character consonant with the highest civilisation. Gentlemen, it

has been pleasant to receive this resolution expressing such kindly feeling, and still kinder thanks, but even greater—let me say it with 3-0111- pardon—even greater is the pleasure t have already enjo3"ed in the hope fulfilled and ambition realised. (Applause. 1 Mr. Campbell, concluding his remarks in reference to his retirement as Mayor, said : I now return the chain of otlicc to the custodian, who will Find that another

link has been added to it, and which I

hope will not weigh too heavily when cncirfliny;jny successor's neck. Mi 1 Alfred Kitlil, acting-Mayor, is Spoken o( as being appointed Mayor.