A CITIZEN HONOURED.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3501, 12 June 1920, Page 4

A CITIZEN HONOURED.

The chief citizens of Taihape have left no doubt in any interested mind “the nature of the esteem in which ‘they hold the late Mayor of the. Bo—rough, Mr A. L. Arrowsmith, for all ‘such doubts, if there were -any, were completely dispersed by.the large numIber who met last night to say Au ‘Re-voir to him on the eve of his leaving to take up farming in the Bay of Plenty district. The nature of the gathering alone speaks volumes for the splendid feeling which was un~ deniable testimony to the high appreciation of the services rendered‘ to the Borough by_ Mr Arrowsmith. It transpired from unsealing -of secrets that [for the five years Mr Arrowsmith hafi [been Mayor, the firm of Arrowsmith ‘and Loughnan had acted as Borough Isolicitors gratuitously. During the .whole period Mr Arrowsmith had, in addition to; filling the Mayo-ral chair-3 with conspicuous ability, and with gain to the bur-gesrses, caused the firm of‘ which he was a member to make nol charge for legal services they rend-I ered to the Municipality. It was left‘ to the eve of Mr Arrowsmith’s departure from the town to make this surprising disclosure, and’ even then it was made without Mr Arrowsmilh’s knowledge of the disclosei-'s intention. It can never be suggested that the guest at last evening’s farewellban-£ quet. ever sought or courted Municipal limelight; whatever he did was done’. modestly and as much in secret as} occasion and circumstance would per-g mit. A remarkable feature of. his Mayorally was a thorough straighten—! ing up of the ihorough finances, thel public business being so carefully and ‘ economically conducted as to result 3- g

la decreased rate demand. But it was lduring the terrible influenza scourge ‘of 1918 that the true, real eliaracrer of the man became obvious_ I-lis or_9f:inisation to fight the deadly peril w:l§< subject of admiration in Oiher districts. and hit. was held up as an example for ~otlier.< to follow._ Like :he humane general he proved himself to be, he led his. forces into places 01' gi'ezLtest' danger; he directecl by example more than by pl'()COD'r. In the most dangerous and depressing stage of the epidenlic we lieiird him state that he had no l*'é:ir’ 01’ corfix-acting the cliseme. and it is very obvious tT?T-(it: Mrs Arrowsmith was no Tess during in the noble work. We know Mr,_ .»\r- I rowsmitl: will not view with ziiifl

lpleasure what: being si‘.'llod. but ‘there arc occasions when it, lie-con’m.- :1 epublic duiy to siaie the good a man {(1093, even though it, be distasteful to §him' Hi;-:, and also Mrs Ai'r()\vsnlith’s ‘intrepid labours dll!'inf.{ the great epidemic are valauble to the Borough as an exzunpie to future holderscf the highest Municipal honour thar bur~ gasses have in their gift. Mr Arl'ow~ smith and Mrs Ari-owsmith will be a distinct lo'ss to the town’and district. To health considerations are attributable their departure, and we feel sure that there is not more than one in each thousand of our readers. if mat, who will not gladly permit us, on the?»

behalf, to express profounde_st hope that all Mr’ and Mrs Arrowsnfifly am. in Search of will be recovered to a. most gratifying extreme.