PRESENTATION TO MR G. A. READS.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2703, 6 December 1882, Page 3

PRESENTATION TO MR G. A. READS.

Advantage was taken of the Rose Show yesterday at the Oddfellows’ Hall by the members of the Horticultural Society to bid farewell to Mr G. A. Reade, the hon. treasurer of tho society, on the occasion of his removal to Dunedin, and also to present him with an elegant timepiece as a testimonial of the regard and esteem in which he is hold by the Horticultural Society. Shortly after eight o’clock the Hon. E. C. J. Stevens, president of the society, and about sixty of the members, met in the room at the rear of the hall, where, on a table in the centre the testimonial was placed. The President rose and said that the members of the society were too painfully aware they were about to lose tho services of one of the most prominent horticulturists who ever came to Now Zealand, and the society as good an officer as it ever possessed. He (the speaker) had a lively recollection of the financial difficulties that beset the Christchurch Horticultural Society some years ago, and it was owing to Mr Reade’s untiring energy that the society had surmounted those difficulties and assumed its present position. Tho society adopted a proposal of Mr Reade’s, viz., the art union, which had stimulated and fostered a love of flowers amongst the people generally. He (the Chairman) had worked with Mr Reade, and in the preparation of tho society’s schedules, the very great care and attention bestowed upon those schedules by that gentleman had very greatly conduced to the success that they had attained as a society, and in this connection it must be borne in mind that Mr Reade had always been a prominent and successful exhibitor, and in tho preparation of those schedules he had never in the least degree studied himself, but had always worked disinterestedly, not giving one_ moment’s consideration to his own individual interests to the prejudice of others. A gap was about to he made in their ranks, and they would now ask Mr Reade to accept the present now on the table, and in parting with him they heartily wished Mr Reade every success in the new sphere to which he was going. He begged to propose “ The health of Mr G. A. Reade.” [Cheers.] At the suggestion of Mr P. Jones, the names of Mrs Reade and the other members of his family were included, and the toast was drunk with musical honors.

Mr G. A. Reade thanked them very heartily for the manner in which the president had proposed and the gentlemen he saw around him had honored the toast. If he were asked to describe his feelings it would be as a mixture of gratification and regret—gratification that they had presented him with such a beautiful souvenir, and he was somewhat embarrassed as to what he should say on this the occasion of his severing his connection with the Christchurch Horticultural Society. On those occasions a great deal was said that was complimentary and really not deserved, and he supposed that this was no exception to the rule. All he desired to take credit for was that he was imbued with an ardent love of plants and flowers, recognising there was much in them to make life more enjoyable, and having those convictions he had done his best to further the society’s interests, and to similarly impress others, as he felt himself. He never thought of himself but as one of the, working bees in the hive. The committees were always composed of good working members, and theyfwere very fortunate in having as their president a gentleman who had helped on the society by his zeal and liberality—[hear, hear] —and with such officers their success was certain. He desired to thank them once more for all the kind things they had said about him, and he wished them to believe that he could not sever the connection of twenty-two years without deep feelings of regret. He -was glad to carry with him the respect and esteem of a large section of the community, and he desired to thank them for the handsome’souvenir, that would never fail to remind him of some of the happiest hours of his life. [Cheers.] He also thanked them for coupling the names of Mrs Reade and his children with the toast, and before sitting down would propose “ Success to the Christchurch Horticultural Society.” The toast was duly honored, and the proceedings terminated. The clock, which is a very handsome one, bears the following inscription :—" Presented to G. A. Reade, Esq., by the members of the Christchurch Horticultural Society, sth December, 1882.” The cost price was 30 guineas, and it was procured from the establishment of Messrs Petersen aud Co., High street.