VALEDICTORY.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 2 August 1920, Page 3

VALEDICTORY.

j FAREWELL AND PRESENTATION I TO MR DANDO. u - * A number of citizens gathered at the Club rooms, Otaki, on Friday evening I for the purpose of saying farewell to . Mr R. J. Dando, who, after two years’ j arduous service a 3 manager of the | Bank of Australasia at Otaki, ha 3 been | transferred to Wellington. | Mr T. O’Rourke in the chair, j and during the course of hi 3 remarks { said ho had much pleasure at being * given the opportunity of saying a few J -words of farewell to Mr Dando. All, 3. J he said, sincerely regretted the deparT ture of their guest, who, during his two | years’ stay, had proved one of few who had CTCpt into the people’s affection. t This was no doubt due to his courtesy, and the fine way in which he had man- * aged affairs under his jurisdiction —he 1 had always proved one of the most ( amiable, as well us one of the most courteous, of bank managers, ever j ready to give advice, and had been (known to succeed in his representations to headquarters when other 1 managers had failed. He hoped the j hand of goodfellowhsip which had | been extended Mr Dando would be cx- | tended to his succsesor. The whole of r | the community deplored its loss, said > j the speaker, and the only consolation 3 1 they had lay in the fact that his suc- ■ : cessor had a splendid reputation in • l Palmerston, where he would be much j missed. However, he could assure Mr : j Stahls that in filling Mr Dando’s place ( he would have a hard row to hoe. JMr Thomas Bevan said for years he had been a client at the Bank of Australasia, and when he shifted to Levin he had thought of transferring his {banking account, but on account of the courtesy then extended him by the late , manager (Mr Hartmann) lie found it j too difficult, and so had decided to j wait until Hr Hartmann’s removal be- ! fore making that step. When he met > Mr Dando lie found he had still a diffit cult task to contend with, and found it hard to transfer his account. He found Mr Dando an excellent manager, | always ready to give advice and disc ! cuss matters, and he appreciated all he 1 had done. He was very sorry to know that Mr Dando was leaving Oiaki, and * wished him success, and at the same ‘ | time expressed a hope that Mr Stahle | J would do as well as Mr Dando had I done. Mr Atmore, in endorsing the remarks ] of the previous speakers, paid he had ( always found Mr Dando courteous and j obliging, and regarded him as a firm friend. His advice was always will- _ ingly and gladly given. Mr A. J. R.-Isherwood also added hit testimony, and assured all that as a < 1 banker Mr Dando had always been courteous and free to give the best advice, which had proved beneficial. He looked upon his removal as a great f loss to Otaki. j Mr O’Rourke said that in proof of the fact that the people of Otaki were genuinely sorry to lose Mr Dando, they l lmd subscribed for a presentation, and jj then handed Mr Dando a cheque for a j ! substantial sum. ' After musical honors had been ac- j corded the guest of the evening, J r I Mr Dando said when he first got j j notice of transfer he had reason to | think his back was up against the wall. | and that the world was a cheerless R A place. He found, however, that he had I friends everywhere and wished he could j f express himself as he felt. He was sorry to leave Otaki, especially as he knew that he was leaving so many _ kind trends behind —in fact, everyone seemed to be his friend. He found it very difficult to make a speech, in fact he could not do so, but his thanks came : from the bottom of his heart. He : hoped the wishes of the meeting would ! not be misplaced, and assured all that i ho would be spurred on by the backing j received from his Otaki friends. (Ap- i plause.) The meeting then broko into harmony, a number of songs being sung, stories told, and refreshments served.