DECLINED WITHOUT THANKS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 467, 14 August 1909, Page 3

DECLINED WITHOUT THANKS.

There have been stiange goingson down the West Coast. From exchanges to hand, we note that Dr. Fitzgerald, who has been medical officer In the Granlty district for the past seven years, was to be presented the other night, previous to his departure for England, with a handsome solid silver tea service and two silver serviette rings, as a token of the esteem in which he had been held. At the last moment, however, the Presentation Committee received a note from the doctor, declining to receive the gifts, aud the reason of the trouble may be gathered from the following letter received from Mrs Fitzgerald : “Dear Sir,—lt has come to my knowledge that a serviette ring is to be kindly presented to me. I perceive you had a few odd shillings left over, and I could have apprciated the present if offered to one child, but for myself decline t| acccept part in so munificent a present, and wish my name to be removed from the ring at once. I put it down to ignorance—but that makes no difference to my wishes. It is usual to make husband and wife joint presentatious, aud if she has not part in the chief presentation, at least not to insult her by allowing her a share in a (ew shillings left over. It would have been much better to have left me out in the first place, as I now insist on your doing.” The Secretary of the Presentation Committee explains matters at some length in the newspapers, in which he says that it was not the people’s intention to make Mrs Fitzgerald any presentation whatever, for, “although having resided in the district for a number of years she was a total stranger to almost everyone in the district owing to her refusal, for some reason or other, to associate with her fellow creatures there.”

The medico and his wife have, therefore, departed frojn the Coast in bad odour, and the Committee is at a loss to know w nat to do with the gifts (suitably inscribed) that have been purchased and paid for.