SERGEANT-AT-ARMS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 159, 23 July 1937, Page 4

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS

Valedictory Tributes To Mr Manson WORK FOR DISTRESSED There was a big gathering of representatives frbm the Mayor 's Relief of Distress Committee and the various organisations interested in welfare work in Hastings at the Hawke's Bay Farmers' Tea-rooms this morning, when a complimentary morning tea was tendered to Lieut.-Colonel A. J. Manson, M.C., and Mrs Manson on the eve of their departure for Wellington;. Mr Manson has been appointed Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Eepresentatives, a position that calls for his permanCiit residence in Wellington. The deputy-Mayor, Mr A. I. Rainbow, presided. After apologising for the absence of the Mayor, Mr G. A. Maddison, on behalf of Mrs Maddison, who was present, he said that the Belief of Distress Committee and others concerned had. wiehed to have an opportunity of expressing to Mr and Mrs Manson their deep appreciation and thanks for the magnificent service that both the guesta-of-honour had given. to the community, and to congratulate Mr Manson upon his new appointment, which, they all felt, waJs a fitting xeward for good citizenship. Since coming to Hastings, both Mr and Mrs Manson had shouldered their responsibilities as citizens in a truly fitting manner, said Mr Rainbow. During the troublous times of the depression Mr Manson had given wonderful service and had been of the greatest assistance to the Mayor- Few people, he said, fully realised the amount of responsibility and the intense amount

of work that had fallen upon the shoulders of Mr Manson. He had been able to call very little time his own, and on occasions had been subjected to treatment which, viewed now in the light of past events, had- been very unpleaisant. Yet through it all he had kept his sense of judgment and had dealt with delicate situations in a manner that had aroused the admiration of all, • ' Mr Majoson's Rart. It was not forgotten, said Mr Rainbow, that this great service had been in a very large degree ma.de possible by the seif-sacrifice of his wife, and to Mrs Manson also heartfelt thanks was due for her great help and understanding. Mf Rainbow said that the committee wished to present Mr an.d Mrs Manson with a small tokeu of appreciation, in the f orm of a fireside out|it, and trusted that it would remind them of the gratitude and fondness of the people of Hastings. In reply, Mr Manson paid a tribute to the fine help that had been given •him at all times by his wife an.d also to her flair for organisation, as exemplilied by her work in regard to the Ked CrosB balls. Of his own service, he said that he had practically grown up in it from the time of the earthquake. * ' I f eel sometimes that there is really' not sufficient public knowledge of the work of the various committees operating in the relief of distress," he said, and paid a tribute to the Mayor for what he termed a "masterly stroke" in bringing about the co-ordination, of ' all the serviees and organisations under the tope head. He pointed out that praise had recently been expressed of the co-ordinated relief scheme instituted in Auckland, but said that he believed Mr Maddison's scheme was introduccd some time before that. No Overlapping Now. "The citizons of Hastings and district can rest' assured that uuder the single control, as now exercised, there is no overlapping in the Tclief of distress in this town," he said. He proceeded to pay a tribute' to ' the many people who were actively concerned with the various phases of the work. "Nothing foolish is done with the 'money, and every penny received is expeditiously and carefully expended among those in need of relief of their distress," he added. In conclusion, Mr Manson mentioned tlxat it was hoped that Mr A. D.' Ross would be prevailed upon to fill the vacancy. He said that for many years Mr Ross had given wonderful service and that he was the ideal man for the job now oifering.