VALEDICTORY

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4360, 14 January 1909, Page 2

VALEDICTORY

PRESENTATION TO MR POTTS.

The “Ohinenmri Gazette” thus refers to the departure ftom the district of Mr D. Potts, recently appointed to take charge'of the Northern Shipping Coi’s Te Aroha Agency: “ Quaint and most decidedly unique was the above pleasing little ceremony, conducted in the Northern Steamship Company’s shed at Puke Wharf on Saturday morning, when the company’s employees and the carters and carriers assembled together to wish “ au revoir,” to their friend; Mr D. Potts, who has been promoted to ‘ the charge of the Company’s Te Aroha agency. Mr C. M. Brunskili, who made the presentation, remarked that during his varied career in the Dominion it had been his lot to take part in many such ceremonies, but’ that this was ttye first occasion he had done so without the aid of glass, cup or pannikin. He, nevertheless, did not wish his 44 no license ’’friends to take this as an example of what could be done without the aid of liquid refreshment. Mr Brunskili said he had been associated with Mr Potts, he might say daily, during his (Mr Potts’) faithful service for the Company for the past 15 years, and that during those years he could honestly bear witness of the able manner in which Mr Potts had negotiated his various and often, arduous duties to the satisfaction of the Company and his fellow employees. He (the speaker) had watched Mr* Potts during that period, starting from the bottom rung of the ladder, and quietly but surely gaining the confidence of Mr Ransom, the company’s manager, who had now rewarded , him for such faithful service by appointing him to the responsible position of agent at Te Aroha, The p-esent, known by the name ,of a “ gentleman’s companion,” was then handed to Mr Potts as from his fellow employees and the carters.

Mr Potts, in reply, returned thanks for the handsome present and for the complimentary remarks made by Mr Bcunskill. It gave him great pleasure to be able to say that during the fifteen years he had been in the, service of the Company he had never had a harsh word with either his fellow . employees or the carters. He was sorry he was leaving his many Paeroa i friends, but as he was not going far away he hoped to see them pretty often. A pleasant little gathering terminated with the singing of 44 He’s a Jolly Good Fellow ” and cheers for Mr Potts.