VALEDICTORY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2089, 25 May 1907, Page 3

VALEDICTORY.

FAREWELL TO MR. W. G ERASER,

A number of gentlemen were gathered in the Farmers’ Union Clul> room Inst night to bid farewell to Mr. \V. G. Fraser, who is leaving Gisborne for 'Wellington. His Worship the Mayor presided, nncl opened proceedings by speaking oulogistically of. Mr. Fraser, who was severing his connection with the Union Steamship Company, and thoy could not allow him to depart without some slight token of the respect in which ho"wus hold, and ho had been invited to present him with a purse of sovereigns. Ho expressed the hope that both he and Mrs. Fraser would enjoy good health, and carry away good recollections of the time spent here. Conditions in the working of steamers were more favorable for his successor than they had boon for him. , Mr. J. M. Gouldsmith, in a short speech, presented the guest with a • fitted travelling bag. Mr. T. A. lie veil said it gave him great pleasure to bo present, and coming as a stranger to Gisborne, lie was warmly received, and it gave him hope of liis future residence if he were appointed here. Air. Fraser would bo a very great loss, and lie wished him success in his venture. Air. AV. Pettie said the duty foil to him of proposing the toast of the ovening. It was not a pleasant thing to say farewell, especially to such men as Air. Fraser. For a considerable time he mixed with and constantly associated with the people and all felt his loss very koenly. How-ever,-he had decided to sever liis connection with the Union Company, and it was fit and proper to gather and express their good wishes and appreciation. He carried their best wishes for his success. Of conrse, Air. Fraser had been conducting abusiness which lio (the speaker) was not connected with. They would hoar more of him from gentlemen in shipping circles. Ho would rather speak of him as a personal friend. Mr. Fraser took a great interest in public matters, and was like himself in this respect, and they often had discussions, and Air. Fraser had a thorough grasp of his subject, and was full of information on many subjects. His acquaintanceship witli Air. Fraser had begun from the date of the latter’s . arrival, and it bad been an exceedingly friendly one. Those living in the immediate vicinity of Air. Fraser’s residence, and those having the good fortune of spending evenings with, him, would regret liis absence very much. Such evenings’ entertainments had been instrumental in driving dull care away from at least the speaker. He heartily joined in the function and tlio sentiments of good wishes for his future success and good health and the happiness of his wife and family.

Mr. Fraser, in reply, said he came prepared to make a speech, but the words failed him. He had had plenty of notice, and had been trying all day, but the words had vanished like smoke. He expressed his heartfelt thanks for the great honor conferred upon him for such 'a short residence in Gisborne, and the way in which the company had drunk his and his wife’s health. He was pleased to introduce Mr. Eevell, who had never been brought round amongst the

townspeople. However, he had found his way round, like ho (the speaker) had. The chairman had mentioned the disabilities they had to encounter —ho took that as a reference to tho river. Improvements had come along wonderfully since he came. He had had a very good run of fine weather, and at every place he had been, his predecessor for twelve or eighteen months, experiencing misfortunes, steamers thrown out, time-table alterations, etc., but up to the present he had had a very good run of fine weather. He asked fill*. Gouldsmith to thank the members of the Poverty

Bay Club for their present. He also returned thanks for the present of the purse of sovereigns. Mr. F. Hall indicated his pleasure in being present.. He. had had a lot to do with Mr. Fraser in business, as representing the XJnion Company. He had never met" a better person; he righted everything he possibly could. Mr. Fraser was going away, but he ventured the opinion that he would not bo away long; like everyone else, they all came back. "VVhereever Mr. Fraser went he trusted he would be successful in life, and that he would make tons of money in .Wellington—not to say that tons could not be made in Gisborne.

(Hear, hear.) Mr. Puflett, in adding his quota, said he had had the pleasure of Mr. Fraser’s acquaintance long before he came to Gisborne. He was for a time purser in the Union service, and he met him in Lyttelton and Wellington. He came t-o Gisborne just prior to Mr. Fraser, and when asked about him, was in the pleasant position of being able to inform the local people that they could not have had a bettor man to represent the colony. In connection with shipping, he had come in contact with Mr. Fraser almost every day, and it had always been a pleasure to go to him. He trusted their guest would meet with the success he rich-

ly deserved. , , Mr. C. H. Ambridge regarded it at a privilege to do lionor where honoi was due. AH knew that in gather-ings-of this nature, a little pleasure was combined with a little sorrow. Partings were not of the pleasantest. Mam- had been here longer and done less, but Mr. Fraser had always been ready to perform his part in all thal was going on. He trusted that th.» would not bo the last they would hear or see of him. If he .(the /speaker) visited "Wellington he-would look out

f °Mr' l Bain, for the" commercial interest, said that all had received the greatest consideration from Mr. Fra - sor—lie had taken great trouble tc arrange for Berthing accommodation, and had been most obliging ln otliei ways. He had seen the noted hospitality of the West Coast, but in no XI 1, tl.o right h«ml of fnon. - ship extended in a more hospital) c manner than in Gisborne;’ it made one feel absolutely at home. tit must consider the advisability of casting in his lot with the residents o) Gisborne. This was at tlio preson. time one of the most progressive dis tricts; he was confident Gisborne was <Y o ing to be a big city. Ho wished

Mr. Fraser all success. Mr. Lon glands said lie met Air. Fraser every time lie camo to town, and found him most obliging, boc ally lie was all that could bo desired. He offered his best wishes for success in the new venture. . Mr. W. Miller felt that in losing Mr. Fraser the loss was not only that of'a capable business man, but that of a friend- He.had the happy knack 'of combining business with f™ndsiiip. Although he could deal it out hard when necessary, it was done in such a way as to appear that he lyas doing one a good turn. One poi ion of the speaker’s business, the theatncal, was one in which they required courtesies being extended them by the representatives of the shipping companies, and many times they could have made things unpleasant if they stuck to the hard and fast rules. While serving tho company he had always been fair to those ho had to deal with. ’ i ” .. Mr. E. P. Joyce also boro testimony of the esteem in which Mr. Fraser was held. His Worship said that as agent of the Union Company, Mr. Fraser had the business at his finger ends. They could not do without, tho company n Gisborne—-it was the centre and pivot

Undor which they livod —their only means of communication was by tho sea. Ho trusted Mr. Rovoll would hnvo fewer difficulties to 'encounter than his predecessor, although his were not very great. Ho hoped Mr.

Rovoll would find tho shipping inter-

ests work smoothly with tho Hud-dnrt-Parkcr Company. Ho stated that during his 30 years in Gisborno ho had never lost a package, illustrating tho great caro taken by tho shipping people. Messrs. Murray and Compton, mombors of a now firm, also expressed their best wishes for Mr. Frasor’s welfare.

Mr. Shaw said that although ho had not always agreed with Mr. Fraser, ho had always been mot in ovory way possible, and he joined in wishing him all success.

Mr. Rovoll said that wlion ho heard ho was coming to Gisborno, he was prepared for surprises, but ho was not prepared for tho warm manner in which ho had been welcomed. Ho had only been hero a littlo while, but had found tho town a very nice one to live in. Ho was agreeably surprised at tho organisation of the shipping at this port. Mr. Fraser had loft an easy row to hoe. Ho was not permanently appointed, and if in a few weeks he had to go, it would be with very great regret. Wlion Gisborno had tlio outer harbor lior troubles would soon ond. When they got a south-easterly and an occasional trip across to Young Nick’s (Hoad, it onlivoned proceedings somewhat. Apologies wore recoived from Messrs. L. T. Symes Jones, G. G. Elliott, ond J. W. Bright.

During tho evening songs wore contributed by Messrs. Revell, Dyor, Do Costa, and others. Mr. Oram supplied tho music for the oveiling.