PRESENTATION TO MR INSPECTOR PENDER.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 2, 2 June 1874, Page 3

PRESENTATION TO MR INSPECTOR PENDER.

The presentation to Mr Inspector Pender of a recognition on the part of the inhabi tants of Christchurch of the admirable manner in which for the past eight or nine years he has discharged the duties devolving upon him as inspector of police took place yesterday in Messrs Matson and Co.’s new salerooms The attendance was large, and included representatives of every class in the community. On the table at one end of the room was displayed the articles intended to be presented to Mr Pender, comprising a very handsome gold watch, chain and locket, a silver tea and coffee service, and a beau-tifully-polished box of totara, containing 250 sovereigns. In addition, there was also a very handsome illuminated address, framed in New Zealand wood, presented by the members of the Christchurch Volunteer Fire Brigade and Fire Police, in recognition of the hearty co-operation these bodies had always received from Mr Inspector Pender. Dr Turnbull, M.P.C., occupied the chair, having on his right hand Mr Pender, and on his left Mr 11. J. Tancrcd (speaker of the Provincial Council), who had consented to the request of the committee that he would make the presentation on behalf of the subscribers.

The chairman said that they were all aware of the object of their meeting together that afternoon, viz :—to present to Mr Inspector Fender a small token of the esteem in which he was hold by the residents of Christchurch, and indeed the province generally. [Applause.] He did not intend to detain them by any lengthened remarks as there were three gentlemen who had to speak after him, but he might be permitted to express his sentiments on the occasion as regarded Mr Pender, which were he felt in consonance with those of every one not only who was there present but also In Christchurch. [Applause.] During the long official career of Mr Pender, his tact and ability in the discharge of his duty had won for him the eye/ympc, and the expression of "tlteir ' feeling's towards -'him, which

was now before them, was one which was justly merited. (Applause.) The committee had, he thought, shown great wisdom in selecting a gentleman to present the expression of their esteem to Mr Pender. They had selected Mr Tailored, a gentleman who, during the long period lie had held the high office he now tilled, had secured for himself the respect of all classes. (Applause.) He would not detain them longer, but would now ask Mr Tailored on behalf of the subscribers to present Mr Pender with (.he testimonial now lying in front of him. (Applause.) Mr Tancrcd :Mr Pender. The pleasing du'y has been committed to me of presenting you on behalf of those assembled to do honor to the occasion to-day, and also of those who have contributed towards it, with the various articles now before us. In doing so, i would wish to say a few words expressive of the feelings of respect 1 entertain generally for you, and which I am sure is entertained, not only by those who now hear me, but alsojby all who know and appreciate your good qualities. The courtesy, foresight aud sagacity with which you have discharged your duty—sometimes not of the very pleasantest character —has endeared yon to the people of this part of the province, and won their heartiest good will and respect. (Cheers). And while your kindness of heart and obliging manner have gained for you a large number of private friends, your firmness and integrity in the discharge of your public duties has won for you, the approbation and confidence of the whole community. (Cheers.) I, in my capacity of magistrate,have had opportunities—which many of those that now hear me have not perhaps had—of observing and appreciating the manner in which you have conducted cases coming under your official notice. Oases have also come under my knowledge in connection with my functions as a magistrate, in which your tact in dealing with cases of difficulty has been conspicuously displayed, and I know that in not a few 7 cases your great judgment has had the effect of averting, and to a great extent altogether preventing, breaches of the law, and of preserving order. (Cheers.) I doubt not that in entering upon the new sphere of labor at Timaru to which you are going, you may regret the breaking of old ties and leaving of many friends, but you have the satisfaction of looking back to a long career hero of public usefulness —of good service rendered to the public with credit to yourself. (Cheers.) I feel that in what I have said I have very imperfectly expressed the sentiments of those who have commissioned me to present you with this testimonial in their name—but I would express a hope that w'hat I say will effect the main object I have in view, aud that is to express to you how 7 greatly you are esteemed and respected by us all (loud cheers) and I trust that this testimonial will be the means of calling to your memory the many and warm friends you leave behind. Let me assure you, in conclusion, that wherever your future lot may be cast our best wishes will follow you, and that your name will long be remembered amongst us as a kind-hearted gentleman, as well as an able and zealous officer. [Loud cheers.] It now only remains for me to wish you all happiness aud prosperity in your future career, and 10 ask you to accept the testimonial —consisting of a watch aud chain, silver tea service, aud 250 sovereigns —which is now before you. [Loud aud continued cheering.] Mr Superintendent Harris—Mr Chairman, Inspector Pender, and gentlemen,—lt may lie considered presumptuous on my part to address you after the very able speech which has just been delivered by Mr Taucred; but I have been deputed by the officers and members of the Christchurch Volunteer Fire Brigade to present Mr Pender with an address expressive of the feelings of the brigade towards him for the manner in which he has during so many years cooperated with us in the carrying out of our duties. In the discharge of those duties wc have of course been thrown a great deal together, audit affords me a great deal of pleasure to be able to say that during the twelve years that Mr Pender has been amongst us, we have always worked harmoniously together. I think I am right in saying that Mr Pender has been at all the fires which we have bad to attend, and between him and the regular police, and every officer and member of the brigade, the greatest cordiality has always prevailed—we have always worked in perfect harmony, and I have to acknowledge the cordial aid and assistance received by the brigade from Mr Pender. [Cheers.] I will now read the address I have to present, which is as follows :

“ This address is presented by the officers and members of the Christchurch Volunteer Fire Brigade and Fire Police to Inspector Pender, of the Canterbury police force. Sir, we feel this,the occasion of your removal from our district to take charge of that of Timaru, a fitting opportunity of expressing to you the feeling of our brigade, and thanking you for the kind and courteous manner in which you have always assisted us in our duties at times of fire. We trust that this will be a pleasant reminder of the many times wo have worked so harmoniously together, and in your sight be a memento of our goodwill and best wishes for the future welfare of yourself and family. “ Signed, “W. Harris, “Superintendent and Chief Fire Inspector of the Christchurch Volunteer Fire Brigade. “ W. R. Mitohkll, “ Captain of the Christchurch Volunteer Fire Police. “ Anno, 187-1.” Mr VV. R. Mitchell—Mr Chairman and Gentlemen : As captain of the Volunteer Fire Police I should like to say a few words on this occasion. The Fire Police, I may say, from their very constitution and objects, have been more immediately connected with Mr Inspector Pender and the regular police force than even the fire brigade, because, in rendering public service on the occasion of a fire we have to receive the co-operation of the regular police force to render our efforts at all valuable. lam happy to say that on all occasions we have always received most cordial co-operation and support alike from Inspector Pender and the men under his command, and 1 take this opportunity on behalf of the Bhrc Police to thank Mr Pender for the many acts of kindness and courtesy towards us. (Cheers.) Some sparkling was then produced, and the chairman then rose and proposed the health of Mr Inspector Pender. He felt sure that no health that could bo given i i Christchurch would lie drunk more heartily than his. (Loud and continued cheering.) The toast was drunk with nine times nine and musical honors, Mrs Pender and children receiving due honor.

Mr Inspector Pender, who was loudly cheered, on rising said —Mr Chairman and Gentlemen : I cannot express to you in words my feelings at the present moment Under the circumstances, I trust you 1 ) »xcu«c my making a long speech, as tin-- i. in-.* first time 1 have been called upon to answer on any public occasion at all, although some times 1 have had to appear in the police court under very different circumstances. (Laughter.) But this is the*first time I have been called upon to address any public audience in Canterbury. I need hardly tell you how very proud I feel of my position to-day—any man possessing the feelings of a manat all could not help being so—when I look at the very splendid testimonial before me. Indeed I feel so much that I cannot express to you my thanks. Such a mark of esteem is enough to make any man feel pride in himself, but still after living so many years amongst you the feeling that 1 have received your respect is something to be much more proud of. [Loud cheers.] I think that, with the exception of the time when Mr Commissioner Branigan left Dunedin in 1869, no such handsome and valuable presentation has been made to a public officer, at any rate not in the police. I am proud to be this day in the same position he was then. [Cheers.] During my residence here I have had to perform duties of a disagreeable character, but my chief endeavour has been to be civil, and this I believe is what has carried me through with so much success. [Cheers.] I believe that every public officer should be civil, because the public have a right to expect it. of him. In Judge Johnston’s “ New Zealand Justice of the Peace” he has laid down several maxims for the guidance of police officers, and one particularly struck me when I read it some years ago. He says : “It is the duty of the police officer to protect not to oppress the public.” That I think is a grand rule, and it is one which I have always to bear in mind and carry out as far as I possibly could. When it was officially announced to me that I was about to leave this place, I knew that I had many friends, but I certainly was not prepared for the very flattering expression of esteem shown to me by the people of Christchurch. I have always found them to be so thoroughly a law-abiding people that I have had no difficulty in carrying out my duties. Gentlemen, I scarcely think it right of me to detain you here any longer, but I cannot but express the deep gratitude I feel towards the people here. Believe mo, if I had never received the very handsome and valuable testimonial before me I should still ever have retained a lively sense of the kindness of the people of Christchurch. (Cheers.) I also feel very strongly the kindly expressions of Mr Harris and Mr Mitchell and the officers and members of the Fire Brigade and Fire Police. I have been in the habit of meeting Mr Harris and Mr Mitchell at all the fires which have occurred for many years, and I always felt when I saw those gentlemen there that we should do our very best (cheers), and I am also glad to say that a kindly feeling has always existed between the men of the Fire Brigade, the Fire Police, and regular police. I was rejoiced to read in the papers recently that the Auckland people were about to organise a fire brigade upon the same basis as ours here, and they could not do better. [Cheers.] If they can only get as good officers as we have here, and the brigade is as liberally supported, they will have no cause to regret having done so. I may say that I have been to Timaru, and have met with the greatest kindness there. Half of the people I met were Christchurch people, and some of them rushed across the street to meet me. I cannot sit down without referring to the flattering speech delivered by Mr Tancred. I know Mr Tancred has had many opportunities as ho has said of seeing the way in which 1 have discharged my duties, and that speech of his is one which will be a heirloom to my family. [Cheers.] I thank him heartily for his kindness to me to-day, and for the kind expression of personal esteem which he has this day given utterance to with regard to myself. I have also to thank the chairman for his kindly words. We have often met together in the exercise of' his professional duties, and I can only thank him for his kindness. 1 am happy also to-see Mr Duncan, the Crown Prosecutor, also here—[cheers] —and also my old friend Mr Frederick Thompson. Gentlemen, you must excuse the very humble way in which I have endeavoured to put my feelings into words, and vela must remember that this is my first appearance in the line of public speaking. (Cheers.) The committee, also, I would desire to thank for the trouble and time they have taken in procuring the articles now before me, and in bringing this matter to a successful issue. (Loud cheers.)

Mr T, S. Duncan said that as Crown Prosecutor he had had perhaps even moi’e opportunities than Mr Tancred of observing the admirable judgment and tact of Mr Pender in the discharge of his duties. That gentleman possessed eminent qualifications for the office he held, and had saved many an innocent person, against whom perhaps some suspicious circumstance had been discovered, from being brought before the Court by his tact and discrimination in discerning whether or not there was sufficient evidence to secure conviction. Mr Frcdk. Thompson also spoke, eulogising Mr Ponder. The healths of the committee, the chairman, and others having been honored, a vote of thanks was passed to Messrs Matson and Co. for their kindness in lending their room, and the proceedings terminated. The Fire Brigade address was a very handsome specimen of illumination, the capital letters being beautifully colored whilst the ornamentation was in excellent taste, reflecting very great credit upon Mr J. Goodman, by whom it was designed and executed. The address was enclosed in a frame of New Zealand wood, and altogether is exceedingly creditable. The sovereigns were enclosed in a box of New Zealand wood, highly polished, bearing the following inscription on the lid :—“ This box, containing 250 sovereigns, together with a gold watch and chain and tea service, was presented to Inspector Pender upon his promotion to the Chief Inspectorship of Police,at a meeting of the residents of Christchurch, held at Matson’s buildings, Ist June, 1871.” The watch bore the following inscription, “Presented to Mr Inspector Pender on his promotion to the Chief Inspectorship of the Canterbury Police Force, Christchurch, Ist June, 1871.” The tea service was of Elizabethan pattern, very chaste in design, and the whole selection*reflected very great credit on the taste of the committee.