AN ESTEEMED CITIZEN

Southland Times, Issue 18855, 22 June 1920, Page 5

AN ESTEEMED CITIZEN

MR W. ROBSON FAREWELLED. Mr W. Robson, who has occupied the position of manager of the Bank of New Zealand in Invercargill for over twelve years, has been promoted to the head office at Wellington. Yesterday he was entertained at afternoon tea in the Federal rooms. A very large gathering, representative of all classes of the community, attended, and the iuayor (Mr John Stead) presided. Alter the honouring of the loyal toast, the chairman said that they were not bidding farewell to Mr Robson for ever because they would hear more of him. A banker was like a doctor; he knew the conditions and ailments of those he treated, and the kindest feelings were entertained for a doctor ami tor a banker. This was never more true than in the case of Mr Robson. He was not only an efficient banker but a valued citizen. During the war he was an unfailing fount of optimism, while he was aiso a quiet steady worker in the Southland League. Further, the returned soldiers had been honoured and helped by their cue -I. (Applause.) The I‘u‘aii hj of Mr Robson having been drunk on the call of the Mayor, His Worship asked il there were any others who wished to speck.

lur J. L. McG. Watson recalled that his father was the first manager of the Bank or New Zealand here ami that he himself hud worked in (he bank for eighteen months. Since then he hart been friendly with all the managers. He could tell them that Mr Robson occupied a leading place. It was to oc hoped that when in his important posit.on in Wellington Mr Robson would remember his friends in Invercargill when any knotty points cropped up. Fie would never forget Mr Robson's work during the influenza epidemic when that gentleman had sat upi for many nights with the delirious. Ha wished the guest farewell and every success. (Applause.) speaking on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, the president (Mr J. Gilkison) voiced tile regrets of the members and his comrades on the executive at Mr Robson’s departure. Mr Robson had been a careful attender at all the meetings and had done a lot of good work. The speaker referred to the po.-ilion in which Mr Robson would be place-.*! as enabling him to do something towards removing erroneous impressions of Southland held in the north. There had been a number of changes in bank managers lately, and these were said by the pessimists to be a sign of bad times. If such did come there could be little doubt that Southland would he better able to stand them than the north. Mr Gilkison extended to the departing guest the very best wishes of the members of the Chamber. If Mr Hobson, alter retiring, chose to return to Southland he would be assured of the ready band of welcome and friendship. (Applause. i

Mr A, VV. Rodger, president of the Southland League, said that Mr Robson had been a member of the League since its inception. There was one pood point in having so many of their good men leaving Southland in that they would be able to represent the province in its true light to the northern people. He tendered the thanks of the League to .Vir Robson for what he had done, and wished him good fortune and assured him of a warm welcome should he return to Invcr-

cargiil. The Mayor then, in a few well chosen words, presented Mr Hobson with a wallet well tilled with bank notes.

In returning thanks Mr Robson stated that he had never felt more happy than tiurlng his residence of close on thirteen years in Invercargill. He was going back to Wellington where be had been before, but be could assure them he was not looking forward to the change. If he was in the position that he could dictate to the Bank as to where he would go Southland would claim him. He thanked them sincerely for tneir past kitu.nesses and the present, assuring them that many pleasant memories of his stay here would go with him. (Loud applause.) Votes of thanks to the Mayor and to Messrs D. Rutledge and C. Campbell, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce and Southland League respectively, who organ ised (he function, were carried before the gathering dispersed.