VALEDICTORY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8385, 20 March 1907, Page 5

VALEDICTORY.

COMPLIMENTARY SOCIAL TO CR E. FEIST. At the conclusion of the ordinary meeting of the Masterton Borough Council, last evening, a "send-off" was tendered, in the Engineer's room, to Cr E. Feist, the DeputyMayor, who will leave shortly for England. Cr E. McEwcn presided, and, in addition to the members of the Borough Council, there were also present Messrs A. W. Hogg, M.H.R., C. A. Pownall, and T. B. Michell, chairman of the Trust Lands Trust. The Chairman proposed the toast of the Deputy-Mayor. He referred to Cr Feist's many good qualities, and the creditable manner in which he had filled the chair during the absence of the Mayor. Mr Hogg said he would like to take the opportunity of expressing the high opinion which he had invariably held of Cr Feist. He had known him for the last quarter of a century as one of Masterton's public men. Cr Feist had watched the progress of Masterton since the earliest days, and was still on the Borough Council to assist in its progress. The speaker knew him as a colleague on the Education Board, and he never had a more highly-esteemed confrere than Cr Feist. The Deputy-Mayor's services to the town and district had been of great value, and he had done a great deal for the welfare of the citizens of Masterton. Cr Feist was undoubtedly a progressive member of the Council. In the early history of the Borough he had always been allied with the progressive party, and the speaker believed that Cr foist was still identified with the sarr<: party. Mr F..\vnall, during the course of his remarks, said that Cr Feist had been a member of every Council that he (the speaker) had had the honour of presiding over. He was a good Councillor, and a progressive one. He had given a good deal of his time to public life, and had done good service to the town. Men who went intofpublic life must •• be admired, said Mr Pownall, no matter how one may differ from their views. The speaker went on to say that it was to be regretted that Cr Feist was leaving the town at a time when the finances of the Borough required careful attention. But he knew his own business best, and it was to be hoped that he would come jack refreshed aftsr the trip. Cr Feist could not stand at the forthcoming elections for the Mayoralty, but the speaker hoped to see him a candidate at the ensuing elections, for, in his opinion, no man was more fitted to fill the position with ability.than Cr Feist. Mr Pownall hoped, in conclusion, that when Cr Feist returned he would take up the cudgels and continue in public life for a long time to come. Cr Morris said that he had sat with Cr Feist on the Council for some time, and knew him to be a broadminded man, who gave his close attention to the work of the Borough. The speaker considered the DeputyMayor was a fit and proper person to be at the head of the Masterton Borough, and he would be pleased to support him to obtain such a position at any time.

Cr Ewington remarked that it was only when public men were leaving the town for a short time that an opportunity was given to the citizens to say what they thought of them. Cr Feist had given a good deal of time and his best energies to all public works with which he had been connected. In addition to being a good man he was a "square" man, and his, services to the town were being recognised. Cr Feist might hold opinions of his own, but he always respected other people's opinions. Cr3 Eton, Elliott, Temple, Pauling, and Hoar, and Mr D. Dobson also said a few words testifying to Cr Feisc's abilities as a public man. » Mr R. Brown, Town Clerk, said that unfortunately the time had been too short to allow of preparations being made for a larger gathering. He had been looking up an old minute book, and had found that Cr Feist had been present at the meeting which formed - the first Literary Society in Masterton, on March 19th. 1867—forty years ago to the day. At the first election for the Borough Council in Masterton there were eighteen candidates, and Cr Feist polled third on the list. He was also Mayor in 1879-80. The toast was drunk with musical honours.

Cr Feist, during the course of his reply, said it was gratifying to him to hear the remarks made by the speakers. Although it took up a considerable amount of his time, it pleased him to help forward to the best of his ability anything that was required in the town. Referring to his past public life, he said he was first a member of. the old Town Board. He became a member of the fir3t Borough Council, and was the third Mayor of Masterton. It was gratifying to him to know that when he was taking a holiday the Councillors did not wish him at the "bottom of the sea." He was not a Scot, but he had a strong desire to see Scotland. He intended to leave Masterton' on Thursday, as the steamer sailed for England on Friday. If all was well when he came back, he hoped, if it was the wish of the ratepayers, to go into public life again. He claimed to have had something to do with the last loan being carried. He was satisfied that the carrying of the loan had been a good thing for the Borough. Many of the works around the town could not have been done, without the loan. He did not believe in burdening the ratepayers too much, but Masterton could stand its share of loans to carry out important works. Cr Ewington proposed the toast of the Trust Lands Trust. He said the object of the Trust was a worthy one, and a credit to its founders. It was : a splendid endowment for education and other purposes, and in time to come it would become more valuable. He considered that the project of the Trust to borrow money for the purpose of erecting buildings on their vacant lands was a good one. He thought that the proposed increase in the personnel of the Trust to nine members would be in the;best interests of the town. ■ Cr Feist, in reply, said he was not in favour of the lean for building purposes. The land had been given to the Trustees for educational purposes, and they had no authority to i speculate in buildings. The Trus-

tees had simply to let the. lands to the best possible advantage. One reason why the Trust lands did not let as well as they should was because the rents were too high. He thought the rents should be reduced somewhat, as it was not possible to get the same rental for leasehold as for freehold land. He hoped that a college for Masterton might eventuate through the Trust's efforts in the direction of education. * Mr Hogg, in proposing the toast of the present Mayor (Mr J. A. Renall), .referred to the many services Mr Renall had done for the town. With regard to the Technical School, Mr Hogg said he had seen the Hon. G. Fowlds, Minister for Education, recently, and he had stated that he would take the first opportunity to visit Masterton to see into the matter of a new Technical School worthy of the town. Mr did not think there was any pressing necessity for the Trust Lands Trustees to come to the rescue of the Technical School. The Government, he thought, should bear the cost of a new Technical School like the ordinary schools. He considered that the Trust Lands Trustees should assist in obtaining a new Courthouse for Masterton, and not only have sittings of the District Court here but also of the Supreme Court. There ought not to be any difficulty with regard to the exchange of sites for a new Courthouse, which was a pressing necessity for Masterton. Cr Eton briefly responded on behalf of the absent Mayor. The toast of the Masterton Borough Council was proposed by Mr Pownall, and responded to by Cr McEwen and Mr J.W. Blackman,the Gas Manager. The other toasts honoured were — "The Ladies," Cr Elliott; "The rress," Cr Temple; "The Chairman," Cr Feist; "Officers of the Borough Council," Mr Hogg—Messrs Brown, Dobson, and Blackmail. The gathering dispersed after the singing of "Auld Lang Syne."