The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 11, 1868. PRESENTATION TO CAPTAIN ROUGH.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 110, 11 May 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, MAY 11, 1868. PRESENTATION TO CAPTAIN ROUGH.

A wish having been very generally expressed amongst the mercantile community especially of this city that some opportunity might be afforded them of testifying to Captain Rough, previous to his departure from this city, their high appro" ciatiou erf the urbanity and zeal with which he Lad, during a long period of of years, discharged the duties of Collector of Customs at this port, it was determined that an address, embodying these sentiments, should be presented to him, accom-panied-by a still more substantial testimonial of their regard. Saturday afternoon last was fixed for this purpose, and at 4 o'clock a goodly company, representing almost all the leading iirms of the city, assembled at the Athenajum Club-room at 4 o'clock. N. Edwards Esq., having been voted iuto the chair, said that the movement had been initiated in a very hurried manner, it having been anticipated that Captain Rough's departure would have taken place at a later date, *but the members of the commercial community generally were most desirous that he should not leave Nelson without receiving at their hands some proof of (heir hi^h appreciation of the manner in which he had performed hi 3 duties as a public officer during his sojourn in Nelson. Speaking for himself, he might add that the proposal had only been known to him two hours previous to the meeting, but he entirely concurred in the propriety of euch a movement, and had much pleasure in testifying personally to the zeal and urbanity with which the relations between the commercial community and Captain Bough, as Collector of Customs at this port, had been uniformly conducted. Mr Edwards then placed in Captain Hough's hands a purse of sovereigns, of which ho begged his acceptance iv the name of the subscribers, and then proceeded to read the following address. Dear Sir — On the occasion of your finally departing from amongst us, we, the undersigned inhabitants, principally composing the mercantile community of kelson, cannot permit you to leave without some expression of the high esteem and regard in which we hold you, after a residence here of a numb2r of years, during which you have fulfilled the duties 01 an important public position in a manner satisfactory to all concerned and with honor to yourself. As a citizen, zealously exercising self-imposed duties, benevolently ministering to the wants of the necessitous, we cannot forbear recording our warm appreciation of your social worth, and feeling that your place will not readily be filled, it is with deep regret that we are now called upon to "bid you farewell. Time has not permitted us to obtain a suitable souvenir with which to present you on this occasion, we therefore ask your acceptance herewith of a purse (not for the value of its mere contents, but as a slight memento of our esteem) and with which we would beg_ yon to purchase some desirable article to retain in remembrance of your friends at Nelson, and on which you will cause a suitable inscription to be made. With the kindest regards to Mrs Rough and yourself, and trusting that the Almighty's blessing may follow you iv your future journey through life, We remain, dear sir, Yours very sincerely. [Here follow the signatures.] Nelson, N.Z., May 9, IS6S. Captain Rough, who was much affected, said that his heart was too full to express hirnselfas largely as he coulcVhave wished, but he would try to say a few earnest sincere words in reply to the address which had just been, presented to him. When he had sought to be relieved from his official duties, he had been not a little anxious to ascertain how his career as a public officer had been regarded by those with whom he bad been more immediately brought in contact. They might therefore j udge how welcome was the expression of feeling towards him on the part of the mercantile community of Nelson, which was embodied in the address, though he was almost hurt to find that so much had been said in praise of what he had been enabled to do in a private capacity during his residence in .Nelson. The meeting had by their action in this matter imposed upon him a deep sense of gratitude, aud he would be proud to purchase with the ana presented j

to him some memorial which would prove a lasting evidence of how the business gentlemen of Nelson knew how to appreciate and reward one who hnd striven to do his duty towards the puWic honestly and impartially. If he hud beeu successful in this respect, if. was in very great measure attributable to the fact that he had been seconded by gooi! aud faithful servants, and also that he had had to do business with gentlemen who did it so pleasantly. Captain Rough again repeated his thanks for the kindness which had been shown him, and also gave expression to the gratification which Mrs Rough would derive from the allusiou made to her iv ] the address. Dr Irvine then asked the permission of the chairman to make -a few remarks. The meeting chiefly included members of the commercial community, whose transactions with the Collector of Customs were necessarily of a most delicate and often difficult character, but he wished to avail himself of the opportunity to say a word on behalf of another class, the poor and suffering, who were not represented there, and who would deeply feel the loss of one whose hand was ever open, and whose mind wns nhvyys employed iv devising means to relieve their necessities. He was confident that if there was one thing which could be more gratifying to Captain Rough than even the present demonstration, it would be the knowledge that he left Nelson accompanied by the most fervent blessings of the class to which he had alluded. * Captain Rough in a few feeling and appropriate words acknowledged the compliment, adding that it would be an encouragement to him to persevere in good deeds for the future. Captain Rough's health and future prosperity wns then drunk iv bumpers of champagne by nil the party present, Mrs Rough's health l.eiug 'proposed by Mr C. Elliott, accompanied by the expression of the good wishes of the company. This was followed by the health of the Chairman, ' the Press,' ' the Oldest Inhabitant,' i to which Mr Elliott responded, followed by other toasts, and this social reunion, the pleasure of which had only been damped by the regret experienced by all present for the approaching departure of the excellent man in whose honor k had been devised, was then brought to a conclusion.