PERSONAL

Southland Times, Issue 24227, 10 September 1940, Page 6

PERSONAL

Mr J. Pickard, jun., of the staff of the Union Steam Ship Co. Ltd., who leaves shortly to join the Fleet Air Arm in England, was honoured by the Invercargill and Bluff staffs of the company yesterday. Mr Pickard is the first Southlander to join the Fleet Air Arm Mr L. W. Spencer, a former manager of the company’s Invercargill branch, who presented Mr Pickard with a razor on behalf of the staffs, praised his personal qualities and the general esteem he had won from all with whom he had been associated and wished him a suecessful career in the Fleet Air Arm. Mr P. Linton Hodge, branch manager, supported Mr Spencer’s remarks and said it was particularly appropriate that a member of a merchant shipping company staff should join a unit in time of war to protect merchant shipping. Mr E. J. Moon, sub-manager at Bluff, and Captain T. G. Campbell, Mr J. Williamson and Mr W. R. Urwin, who leaves for a military camp shortly, and Messrs J. R. Woods, W. Lock and N. A. Armstrong also spoke. Captain N. B. W. Haszard, harbourmaster at Bluff, sent good wishes and congratulations to Mr Pickard.

Mr T. R. Pryde, a member of the management committee of the Southland Rugby Union, who will go into camp with the 4th Reinforcement, was bidden farewell by members of the union last night. Mr N. R. Brown, president of the union, congratulated Mr Pryde on the step he had taken and said that he had been a valuable and enthusiastic member of the executive for the last seven years. At all times he had shown a capacity for work and intelligent administration and on the social side he had few equals. He would be missed in Southland Rugby and he would be assured of a double welcome on his return to Invercargill. All of the members of the executive spoke and expressed good wishes, and Mr Brown handed Mr Pryde a camera as a mark of the esteem in which he is held by members. Mr Pryde said he would ever remember his association with the union, whichhad been a happy family and a fit body to control the game of Rugby in Southland. Mr Pryde was also bidden farewell by the Southern Club, of which he was president this year. He was handed a wristlet watch by Mr J Ferguson, vice-president of the club, and wished a safe and speedy return to Invercargill. Mr A. S.' Grant, of the rotary staff of The Southland Times, who leaves with the 4th Reinforcement for camp, was bidden farewell by the management, the office and the mechanical staff yesterday. The managing director (Mr R. J. Gilmour) paid a tribute to Mr Grant’s personal qualities and wished him a speedy and safe return. On behalf of the management and employees, Mr Gilmour presented him with an inscribed Wristlet watoh. The foreman of the night staff (Mr G. J. Hope), Mr J. Birss, on behalf of the machine room staff, and Mr J. L. McCormick, on behalf of the stereotype department, endorsed Mr Gilmour’s remarks. Mr Grant replied.