VALEDICTORY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 291, 1 May 1913, Page 8

VALEDICTORY.

MR. FELIX McGUIRE. At Hawora yesterday afternoon Mr.,'-,, and Mrs. Pelix. McGuire," of Mount Royal,! Okaiawa,' with members of their family, were farewelled by the citizens of Hawcra and settlers of the country dis-; triets. The Mayor of Hawera (Mr. A.' 1' W. (fillies) presided. After a programme ! of well rendered instrumental and vocal items, His Worship, in a crisp speech, referred in eulogistic terms to the long and useful public career of their guest. Only those who had served in public capacity fully understood what Mr. McGuire's lengthy service represented. That I career had commenced about half a cen- I tury ago, and continued up to eight j years ago. This record showed that Mr. J McGuire possessed great grit and deter-1 mination. On behalf of the citizens of r Hawera and country districts he made a ( presentation to Mr. McGuire and expressed the hope that their guests would f long be spared to enjoy good health and + prosperity. i Messrs. E. L. Barton and R. Welsh also paid a tribute to the sterling qualities of Mr. McGuire, and expressed re gret that one who had 'done so much for the district was saying farewell. c Presentations were then made to Mrs, * Mcftuire, Mrs. Moffatt and Mr. Edgar ' McGuire. i c In making the presentations Mr. F. A. Bremer paid a warm tribute to the many kindly qualities of Mrs. McGuire. N matter what manner of service was re quired of her this lady freely gave o her best efforts and her kindly natur had endeared her to all. Mr. McGuire was warmly received on rising to reply. So many kind expres I «'ons had been made regarding him tha ih.9 hardly knew how to express his grati .- tude in words. He felt that his life ha j i b?en a busy one and one full of incident' However, lie had enjoyed his career an I, ,'especially ; n the early days when th I, province of Taranaki was in its infancy!, It was gratifying to know'that th j people amongst whom he had lived ap predated his efforts and regretted hi i departure. He was not. however, leav | ing the district for good, and hoped t visit it on many occasions. He thanke | I them one and all for their kindness t his family and himself and the many ex j prossions of goodwill tendered to them I At the conclusion of the ceremony th | whole of those present were the guest j of the Mayoress (Mrs. Gillies) at after, noon tea. ' The presentation to Mr. McGuire was a beautifully inscribed illuminated ad , /dress signed by the Mayor and Presen . tation Committee on behalf of the citizens of Hawera and settlers in the coun try districts. To Mrs. McGuire a very handsome solid silver table centre piec : was given. Mrs. Moffatt was the recipient of a unique set of silver-backed brushes, while Mr. Edgar McGuire wa ! presented with a silver Rotherhan i watch. I Mr.MeGuire's career has been an in J teresting one. In his 1 young days h took part in the troublous affairs with the natives. He was present at the engagement at the Mauku Stockade in 1863 and Te Ranga in 1804, and wears the New Zealand war medal. He also holds a Captain's commission on the un- v attached list. . In the settlement of Taranaki Mr. McGuire has seen all the changes it has passed through, from the period when in its virgin state it was confiscated from the natives to the pre sent position it 'holds as the leading pro vince of the Dominion. During all thi period Mr. McGuire's name figures largely in public affairs. As far back a 1872 he represented the district from Opunake to Patea as member in tha Taranaki Provincial Council and con | t tinned to hold office until the abolitiori' of Provincial Government. In those days Mr. McGuire was chairman of the Old Patea Comity Council, controlling a dis-j trict from Opunake to the Waitotara River. In 1882, when Hawera was constituted a borough, Mr. McGuire was th j first Mayor of the town. Later oh when the , late Sir Harry Atkinson was ap-' pointed to the Speakership of the TJppes House, Mr. McGuire contested and won the Egmont seat in the House of Repre ( sentatives, and held the seat for six, years. Subsequently when the distric | was merged into the Hawera seat, he held similar office for a further six rears ' making in all thirteen sessions of Par j liament. ' Old Taranaki settlers will remember that in his speech on the Address-in , Reply, in 1991, Mr. McGuire uttered si glowing eulogy of the late Sir Harry At I kinson, the district's former distinguished member. In public matters of minor imnovtance Mr .McGuire also took a very, active part, and there is hardly an old■••ehiblished society in South Taranaki that docs not bear in its records evidence of his eneiwlip endeavors. Dur:ns; all these roars as a public man tha district has not been unmindful of the) work done by Mr. McGuire, and be is Hie proud possessor'of numerous illuminated souvenirs and handsome pieces of "late that have been presented to him from time to time. It is safe to say that few public, men can show a longer career of usefulness than Mr. McGuire Fnr nigh on fifty rears he took a mater ial part in shaping the destinies o the province.