FAREWELL DINNER TO MR B. PILKINGTON.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2590, 26 July 1882, Page 3

FAREWELL DINNER TO MR B. PILKINGTON.

One of the meet pleasant gatherings that has taken place in Ashburton for some considerable time past was the assembling of a number of friends at Quill's Hotel on Monday evening, to do honor to the well-merited promotion recently conferred upon Mr B. Pilkington, who for nearly four years has ably filled the position of station-master at Ashburton. Mr Pilkington having recently been appointed to act in a similar capacity at Oamaru, the various officials with whom he has so long been connected took the opportunity of inviting him to a complimentary dinner as a means of giving expression to the high esteem in which the chief officer at the station was held by those under his charge. At the invitation of the railway employes, about thirty gentlemen sat down to a most excellent repast, and after they had shown a dne appreciation of tho good things provided,

Hii Worship tho Mayor (Mr D. William*on) rose and said that he had responded to the invitation to take the chair with a very great deal of pleasure, and the duty he was then about to perform wag indeed a plsagant one. He would ask Mr Henderson to read an address which had been drawn up for presentation to Mr Pilkington, and signed by a large number of the principal residents in Ashburton.

The address read as follows ; T. B. Pilkington, Esq., stationmaster, Ashburton.—Dear sir,—We, the undersigned realdents of Ashburton, beg to tender you our hearty congratulations on your well merited promotion to Oaraaru, and we cannot permit you to leave ns without expressing our high appreciation of the gentlemanly, courteous, and impartial manner with which you have discharged the duties of your important position whilst amongst us. Permit ns to wish you and your family all health, happiness, and prosperity, and to ask your acceptance of the accompanying small purse of sovereigns as a slight though more substantial mark of our respect and esteem.” The Chairman then rose, and said ha regretted the pleasing duty he had to perform had not fallen into better hands, but no doubt Mr Pilkington would receive their good wishes just as much as if they were given ia a more able and fluent speech than ho (the speaker) could make. He was sure Mr Pilkiogton had tho respect and good wishes of all with whom ha came in contact, and that he possessed the confidence of the Government no better evidence could be shown than tho fact of his having the promotion to Oamaru conferred upon him. Whenever he had been brought in contact with Mr Pilkington, this gentleman had always been most obliging, and shown him the greatest respect ; and to show that the feelings of respect for Mr Pilkington wero both general, deep, and sincere, he held in his hands a weighty purse of sovereigns which ho had been asked to present on behalf of the residents, as a mark of appreciation of the high esteem in which their guest that evening was held. It spoke volumes for the good management of ft station when a servant received such well deserved promotion, and also when the employes who had been under that officer's charge took such a substantial way of showing their respect and esteem as tho railway employes had done that evening. He would ask Mr Pilkington to accept the address and purse of sovereigns, and hoped that he would bo as highly respected elsewhere as he was in Ashburton.

The Chairman’s request to those present to drink to the "Health and Prosperity of Mr and Mrs Pilkington,” was responded to in the most hearty and cordial manner. On rising and thanking those present, and all the other subscribers to the testimonial, Mr Pilkington said he did not know if he was deserving of the honor and good wishes thus shown him, but he had always, endeavored to do his duty to the Government, and at thi same time to do all ho could for the public. Hia duty was one that could be performed ii a way that was not always palatable, but he considered it a part of his duty to be as obliging as possible, and help to make the railways as attractive as they could be made

to encourage traffic. Since he had been in Ashburton he had always been shown great kindness, and in bis efforts to do his duty had received every assistance from a most efficient staff, and he had always impressed upon them the importance of being obliging to the public. Mr Filkington here paid a high compliment to those who had been working under his charge, and again expressed his thanks to all those who had subscribed to the testimonial, stating that he should always value the address presented to him even more than the money that so oompanied it. Ho could assure them that he felt sorry to leave Ashburton, but be should always bear a kindly feeling towards those who had been so kind to him, and look back upon the present occasion a* one of the happiest days of his life. Mr Filkington resumed his seat amidst load cheers.

Other toasts were propose 1 and duly honored, prominent amongst which were those of “Our Hosts” and the “Bailway Employes,” and the party broke np at a late hour after having spent a thoroughly enjoyable evening.