Presentation to Mrs Douglas.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 116, 17 October 1901, Page 3

Presentation to Mrs Douglas.

On Tuesday afternoon a large and representative number of ladies and gentlemen of Waimate district assembled in the County Council Chambers to witness a presentation to Mrs J. E. Douglas. Mr E. C. Studholme presided, first reading a number of apologies for absence. He said it had fallen to his lot to make this presentation, though he was sure thpce were ■others better able to fill the position. Mr and Mrs Douglas We're longresident in"this distriot, ' and their hospitality was known from one end of sew Zealand to the other. Nowhere in the world, he thought, could be found people more kindhearted and openhanded. If they had a fault it Was ; because they were too generous—too kind. But this was a good fault, and it.was a pity it was not more common. Mr Douglas had; always taken a leading part in anything that took place in the district, and in all he bad been ably backed up by Mrs Douglas. The presentation, which took tho form of a gold watch and chain bad been subscribed to by about 180 people, and these had all come forward spontaneously and helped with it. He asked Mrs Douglas to accept the presentation as a small mark of their esteem and of their pleasure fa-showing it., Mr Pitcaithly said that one j thing that had /struck him in getting tip the presentation was the eagerness with which people had subscribed. If a canvass had been made the 'subscription could easily have been trebled,; He referred to the hospitality invarU ably shown at Waihao Downs, which be described as: a snmmer resort» avrinter.cesprt,.* resort lor; everyone. The speaker expressed hit pleasuw ft* being present at a

function arranged to do honour to Mr and Mrs Douglas. On behalf of Mrs Douglas, Mr Douglas returned thanks for the presentation and for"' the kind, remarks made about his wife and himself. They had never dode anything for a reward and had not deserved one. They were always pleased to see anyone, and the, more visitors they had the better they liked it. Living at the distance they did from town, they felt-obliged to be as hospitable as possible to allcomers. They would be always pleased to see any local societies out at Waihao Downs. Mr Douglas again returned thanksfor the presentations made to Mrs Douglas and himself, which would be valued by them all their lives and handed down for generations. The Rev. G. Barclay closed the proceedings with a short humorous speech. He said that the ceremony was not a very protracted one, but the gathering was most, distinguished. It was not often that there came together such an assemblage of beauty, talent and eloquence. He must endorse all that was said about the hospitality to be enjoyed at Waihao Downs He looked upon that place as very much like a caravanserai on the edge of a desert. He moved a hearty vote of thank 3 to Mr Studholmo, who had, be sail, proved his ability to preside in a conciliatory, tactful, and sensible manner. The vote was carried by acclamation, and Mr Studholme having replied, the meeting broke up*.