VALEDICTORY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3767, 15 March 1928, Page 3

VALEDICTORY.

• SMOKE CONCERT AND PRESENTATION. Mr. H. H. Hornblow, who has officiated as local stationmaster for the past five years, and who has been appointed to the position of chief clerk at Nelson, was entertained at a smoke concert in the Masonic Hall last night, by the local Chamber of Commerce, Returned Soldiers’ Association, Railway and Harbour Board representatives and citizens. Among thoso present were Messrs J. Linklater, M.P. (Chairman of the Foxton Harbour Board), W.' E. Barber (Chairman of the Manawatu County Council), Crs. John Ross and Parkin (Borough Council), Captain Yeo and other member of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, D. R. Barron (Rabbit Board), J. Newton (postmaster), Senior Constable Owen (police), H. Osborne and R. Goldingham (transport), and Mes* srs J. O’Shea, stationmaster and Gilmour transport officer (Palmerston North). Apologies for absence were received from the Mayor (Mr. Perreau), Town Clerk (Mi\ Trueman), Jackson and Raikes.

Mr. D. Christie presided and after the loyal toast had been lionoured referred to the departure of the guest. He st&ted that the file of a public official was not a bed of roses as the public was a hard task-master. Mr. Hornbliw, however, had won the esteem of the public by his courteous and obliging manner and to a large extent had dispensed with “red tape” methods in the discharge of his duties. He had fulfilled his office with credit to himself and to. the department he had faithfhlly served. His transfeiS meant well- deserved promotion and while they were sorry to lose him they were pleased to know that he was moving up to a higher position, and when the Foxton station was raised to grade A they hoped he would return again as stationmaster. Th|) chairman referred to the guest’s j connection with the Chamber of Commerce, and other organisations. The chairman then asked Mr. Hornblow to accept a pipe and tobacco pouch from his friends, and well-wishers. He also referred to the esteem in which Mrs Hornblow was held, and expressed the best wishes of all for Mr. and Mrs. Horn'blow’s future happiness and prosperity. . The toast of the guest was then drunk with musical honours. Mr. O’Shea, stationmaster, of Palmerston North also made a presentation of a leather travelling bag to Mr Hornblow, on behalf of the Railway staff, wharf employees, and transport workers and wished him every success in the future. Mr Hornblow, he said, was a very estimable railway man. Personally, bo had known him ever since he was a boy and had followed his careei in the service with interest. Mr. Hornblow had done very well and was a very capable -''officer. The Foxton station called for a capable man in charge owing to the fact that it combined the duties of a wharf and railway station, hence a man of outstanding ability was required for the position. From what he knew and had heard, Mr. O’Shea, was pleased to be able to say that Mr. Hornblow had canned I out his arduous duties excellently as far as the Department was concerned and the Department would be pleased to hear the eulogistic remarks passed about him that night. He hoped that he would continue to progress in the future and that the present transfer was only a forerunner of further promotion.. Mr. O’iShea also asked Mr. Hornblow to accept a presentation to his wife in the shape of a lady’s travelling bag. The gifts were tokens of esteem from all Who had been connected with the guest in his official capacity.

Mr. Gilmour, Transport Officer, of Palmerston North, endorsed Mr. O’iShea’s remarks and said he was in a position to know how Mr. Hornblow had served the Department and public to the very best of his ability. The people' of Foxton and district, he said, had, in some measure, to blame themselves for Mr. Hornblow’s removal from Foxton. If they had patronised the railways as in the paqt he would still be here, as the station would have gone up a grade. On behalf of the Transport staff he wished both Mr. and Mrs. Hornblow evei’y happiness and success in their new sphere of life in Nelson. Mr. Tregonning spoke on behalf of the local station staff. Mr. Hornblow returned thanks on behalf of his wife and himself. He regretted having to leave Foxton as his sojourn here, despite his ups and downs, had been very pleasant. He would always regard Foxton as “home” and would wander back here from time to time. Anything he had done from an official point of view had been his duty. He're■ferred to Mr. O’Shea’s 1 career in the -railway service and said that it was due .to the early training under he and Mr. Bennett (now retired from the service), that he could attribute his success. He was pleased to say that Mr. O’Shea had now reached the top of the ladder, being senior stationmaster in New Zealand (applause). Mr. J. K. Hornblow proposed the toast of “Parliament” and in doing so referred to the Samoan Unrest, and paid a tribute to the Government’s colonisation of Raratonga as compared with Papeete. He paid a tribute to General Richardson and to the Government’s attitude re Samoa. In referring to the represen-

tative for the district, Mr. Hornblow said Mr. Linklater had represented his eonstituaney faithfully and well. He referred to his excellent services on the Kairanga County Council as Chairman, and also as Chairman of the Foxton Harbour Board. From an educational point of view, he said, New Zealand was the most enlightened country in the British Empire, anft as a result of the high standard of intelligence in this Dominion our legislation had been carefully watched and copied by other countries. This was a tribute to the. Government and, incidentally, to the people themselves. Mr. Linklater thanked the speaker for his remarks and referred to his association with the guest as . chairman of the Foxton Harbour Board. During the five years he had known him he had found him to be very considerate and he desired to congratulate him on his wellearned preferment. The hall brought back memories' to him. It was there that he had been selected to represent Manawatu, and since his election he had endeavoured to serve the best interests of the people of his constituency. He was a member of four committees in the House and his duties, at times, were arduous. He had been sent there by the people, however, and was prepared to carry out their wishes.'. He thought the Parliament of to-day compared very favburably with Parliaments of Abe past. Last session had been a long one and many contentious subjects had been dealt with. He touched on the Licensing and Daylight Saving questions. No matter which way he voted in connection with the former, he was* up against about 50 per cent, of the constituents in the district, but he intended to vote as he thought right and stand or fall by it. His opinion with regard to Daylight Saving was that the majority of the people in the Manawatu were opposed to it. AJr. Linklater i*efei*red to his association with the Kairanga County Council and said he was a strong supporter, of good roads. They were economical and were a saving to all who used them. He instanced the tarsealed roads of the Kairanga County, and urged the Manawatu County Council to bitumenise their roads as soon as possible. With regard to lupins, he was pleased Mr. Barber had given an assurance that they would not be declared noxious weeds as far as sand areas weie concerned as he believed lupin invaluable in preventing sand drifts. Mr. Linklater urged the people of Foxton to give every encouragement to their seaside which could easily be made to treble its size with benefit to. Foxton. In conclusion Mr. Linklater said that once the battle of election time was over he knew no party but stood to serve each and every elector to the best of his ability. He was pleased to be present that evening and regretted that he could not visit Foxton more often but. he had man v places to visit and functions to attend to. Constable Owen on bebalf of the Police Department made eulogistic reference to Mr Hornblow s ability as stationmaster, and said that the gazette showed less petty thieving on the railway since his sojourn, here than any other town of its size in New Zealand.

Messrs J. Newton (Postmaster), H. "Osborne (shipping), R. Rangiheuea (Foxton Harbour Board), G. F. Smith and Rev. Nicholas also eulogised the guest of the evening. > , , '“Local Bodies” was proposed by Mr -F. A. Mason, and responded to by Messrs W. E. Barber and Jno. Ross. The toast of the “Banking Institutions” was proposed by Mr. R. N. Speirs and responded to by Mr. S. H. Poole. That of the musicians was proposed by Mr. R. Goldingham and responded to by Mr. I. Corn. During the evening songs and reritations were contributed by Messrs G. F. Smith, D. R. Barron, and W. Williams. Music was provided by Messrs I. Corn (violin) , and J. Newton (piano): The gathering closed with the singing of “Auld Lang Svne.”