A COMPLIMENTARY BANQUET.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3501, 12 June 1920, Page 5

A COMPLIMENTARY BANQUET.

TO ME, FL L, ‘V.-&RROWSMI'I‘H.

Last night the Town Hall supper room was packed by ‘leading people of the town and disi':rict,_ who had met to say an revoir to Mr A. L. Arrowsmith, Who for family health reasons is leaving Taihape and a fine law connection to go and live upon :4 farm in the Bay of Plenty. On only shortest of notice it had been decided to tender a complimentary banquet to 311' Arrowsmith, and as a token of ':he esteem in which he is held in this territory, to presnt him and also Mrs. Arrowsmfith with a handsome and valuable souvenir. The hall was full and yet there was a. very long list. of apologies for absence from Members of Parliament down. Among those pres:ent were Mr Glenn, Member for ‘this electorate, and Mr R. W. Smith, Memher for \Vainlarino, all the Borough Council and representatives of ‘the Rangitikei County. The room was tastefully decorated, the decorations and the attractively laden ba.nque‘f board making up :i very pretty colour scheme.

After the internal man had been satisfied a lengthy toast. list‘. was commenced by Mr A. J. Joblin, the Mayor elect, who presided, the King ‘being musically honoured with notable sincerity and heartiness.

“Old Identities” were infthe able hands of Cr. R. A. Davies, who remarked that he had been so long in the district that he thought he was better lfted to reply to that toast than to ‘propose it. It seemed to him that the ineed of credit. was not given to ‘the pioneers they deserved. Men who founded the district, laid the foundations of such a. settlement. were worthy of greater notice. Those who came after ‘them knew little of the anxiety and risks pioneers experienced. People’ of the present were greatly indebted to the Old Id.‘.‘ntities——“all honour to them.” He coupled with .':h€- toast the name of Captain Cook and other celebrities past and present. In responding Mr Geo. Bray said he did not know whether he was supposed "to he Captain Cook or one of the other fellows. but he had only beenin the district for about 30 years. He knew of others who had seen 50 years of life in this locality. He claimed .no consideration for what he had done in laying the foundations of-’ the distrirzt. He was a single man then. had good work. no responsibilitv owl he put. in the best time of his life in the Taihape district. They ‘founded their own sports and amusenients such as cricket n.nd‘~foot.ball and had 9. f'airl_v good ?ime. In conclusion he expressed his app:-eeiation of the wav in which the toast had been proposed and honoured.

Mr -W. J. H. Mc('ormicl<. although one of the first to settle on the ‘own site, objected to being called an old identity; he was not old, and could nd? admit. being old. Of course. in the very early days they often had to walk as far as Mangaweka to procure stores, to get a bit of sugar and flour, and they didn’t make half the fuss people make about the sugar shortage to-day. Still they had advantages then not enjoyed now: they had no rates to p_ay, and there was no prospect of a big Water raie. They didn’t miss the luxuries people have to-day because they never had them. The toast of the evening, “Our Guest,” was entrusted to Mr R. W. Smith, M.P., who. afltér remarking that they had assembled to bid farewell to Mr Arrowsmith, Went on to say that. Mr Arrowsmith was one of Tai-lz-apc’s earliest towlnsmen. He came many years ago. and corredfly estimating the prospects of the town ’s future. decided to commence the practice of his profession therein. Since that lfime he had freely given his services to anyone who needed assistance. Mr Arrowsmith arrived When Taihape was little more than a name on the map; since his arrival he had done everything possible to assist in founding and helping forward whatever was for the benefit and progress of the district. To give some idea of the time hfr A.rrowsn':ith had given to the public he might. say Vhe first position taken by him was the secretaryship of a. cricket club; he became a member of the Domain Board; for seven years he was chairman of the School Committee. Lalor on, when the Taihape Borough was formed, Mr Krrowsrnith was the man chosen to put it on the right track. To him was entrusted ‘the legal processes. they being‘ left. entirely in his hands. and he was appointed the Borough ’s first solicitor. When he (Mr Smith) was a member of ‘the Conncillthey left nearly everything to "Mr Arrowsmith as their Mayor, and they had never been led into trouble. .-Vlr Arrowsmith had occupied the position of Mayor for five consecutive years, and during those five years his partner, Mr Loughnan, had done the whole of his private Work. To Mr Loughnan was due that credit. of doing the Whole of the legal work of the Council for five years,‘ and doing it free’ of any charge. During those five years the great war had been raging, but Mr Arrowsmith was never absent when wanted, he was always found just where the

Mayor should be. He was Chairman of the "Pam-io:ic Association, and as a L\lolllbCl', he (Mr Smith) had full oppofizunity of noting how well the work of that Association had been done. Among other institutions to increase work there was the Queen Carnival, by which £I3OO had been collected. In fact Mr Arrowsmith had been a member of every» inditution and every organisation that was for _the benefit and advancement of this district. He was fortunate in having such -a good. helpxnate. In war work and Red Cross work Mrs. Arrowsznith had done noble work, and he requeted Mr Arrowsmith to convey to Mrs Arrowsmith this meeting’s appreciation of the services she had rendered to the town and district." Only for |:he fact that Mir Arrowsmith was in such :1. hurry to get away to his farm Mrs Arrowsmith might have been present at the farewell gathering. Mr Arrowsmith’s success was due ‘to two oiitstanding features, he was :2 straight goer and a. man of highest integrity. He (the speaker) could not remember that Mr 'A.rrowsmith had ever been wrong, and he wished to express his deepest rgre‘: that it had become necessary to leave Taihape. Continuing Mr Smith said Mr Arrowsmith had taken up a life that he would -get more pleasure out of; he hoped it would prove successful and that the climate would suflt -the health of both Mr and Mrs Arrowsmith. The citizens of Taihape could not allow them to leave withodt some mark of their esteem. -and it had been decided to present them with a silver tea and coffee service as a lroken of the respect in which they were held in Taihape. He hoped they would 'both live long to enjoy the new life. He requested him to tell 'Mrs Arrowsmith [that Taihape would give them a hearty welcome back whenevaer oecasion permitted a. visit, Taihape would

be interested in the future of both. He would be pleasd to learn thzqt their success would be so complete that.they wo‘uld be able to retire to Taihapc and spend many happy years there.’ He was very very sorry to lose them, bu\—‘. he hoped to see them back again.——— Prolonged applause. _ In responding to the toast and acknowledging the presentation Mr Arrowsmith spoke at length. 11% was not his custom to prepare speeches, but. to say what came uppermost to suit the time and occasion, therefore he might omit many things he would like to say. It was not. a pleasant thing to sit and hear all the virtues attributed to him a man can possess, when he knew he did not deserve them. He was going out’ of Taihape after living in the town for 20 years, and so far as he knew he was not. leaving one active enemy behind. There were, of course, men who had no time for him, and he had no ‘time for them. He believed he had the goodwill of every man in the cornmunityyof everyman whose respect he desired to have. What he had done for the community he had also done for himself, and he did not. desire any credit for it.. Unfortunately, there were many men in every community who would not give any of their time to public matters. It was with considerable reluctance he took the position of Mayor. When he took the oifice the dlflfies were very onerous. He was told that it was up to him, that it was his duty to take |:he position; but he ‘took it intending to relinquish it at the end of the term. Then the great war came,

when it was everybody’s, duty to do what he could while war was on. When he decided to leave a good and Wellestablished practice the health of his family was the chief consideration and he had to go, and decided to get into a farm. where he would not have to enter into opposition with anyone. {He wanted ‘to convey to the gathering, if he could, how much he appreciated the presence of the gathering that night. Several whose names were not on the list had come to him expressing sorrow that they could not be present. The Mayor was under the impression that he would be here at the end of the month, but that was not so. In a. town like Taihape population was a lwlllftlllg one, and if he came back ten years hence only one or two would know him; people would be asking “Who is that bloke.” He had been given credit for what. had been done but he was only one, and just as much (:l‘(‘,(,llt was due to other members, and it‘ it had nd‘; been for their support and good advice he could nut have been so successful. He was pleased to say that he always had the support of.‘ other members. The man he owed most to was his partner, Mr Loughnan. who did his work while he worked tor the town. Mr Loughnan had done much more than he had any righlf to expect from him. One reason why he did not like leaving Taihape was because he was leaving his partner. The greater credit for public work done was due to Mr I.oughna.n, and he was very sorry to leave him. However mueh anyone dlfl"<‘l'€d from him; ‘however much he might be considered .3 tool, everybody knew just where he was; he took care there was no mislimlerstanding. He lthanked them for the very handsome present, it was too good for his new surroundings on the farm. Until he had built he had no place .to put such a handsome present.

He was awfully sorry to leave Taihape; he expected to end his days here and had aétually gone up ‘to the cemetery and selected the place where he would be put in the final rest (laughtcr). He would come back. to Tailmpo when he could take :1 holiday, to see his old friends again. If any Taihape man dared to pass his door without coming in he would Ifhink Taihape had gone back on him, and that they did not believe him in earnest when he utl'.ered what he had just said.~—(Prolonged applause). [Owing to- pres:<ul'o on space the re-.muinlng- portion of the reporb must bo held over fill Monday]