Employees Supper at Rushden - Interesting Presentations to Mr Hornsby

The annual supper and social evening of the employees of the Rushden Industrial Co-operative Society was held in the Co-operative Hall yesterday week. About 120 sat down to an excellent spread, the company comprising, in addition to the employees, members of the General, Educational, and Guild Committees.

After supper, on the motion of Mr Shelton, hearty thanks were accorded the general committee for their hospitality.

Mr Colton, in seconding, said that they had had an excellent spread and that they were greatly indebted to the committee for these annual functions. It was gatherings such as those which brought the employees together and cultivated a spirit of fraternity.

Mr W Hobbs, in acknowledging the vote of thanks, said that so far as the committee were concerned, the employees were quite welcome to all they had had. He was pleased to see them all again, although twelve months ago he little thought that he would be occupying his present position as president. During the past year one or two changes had taken place, which they would do well to note. Two whom they rightly designated as

Pioneers

of the movement in Rushden had lately passed away—he referred to Mr Thomas Clarke and the late secretary, Mr Thomas Brightwell. These men had given a great part of their lives to the movement, and he thought they could not do less than say a word of commendation of their splendid efforts on behalf of the co-operative movement. They were men of stirling ability and men whose example they might worthily follow. Another friend whom they missed that night was the late Mr Croot. There were also two employees who had left them and gone to work for other societies. They wished them success. Continuing, the president said that the employees were to be congratulated upon the increased turnover during the past year. The committee could do a little in the committee room, but a great deal of the responsibility rested upon the employees. He hoped they would still give the committee their loyal support, si that the society might become still larger and do an increased amount of good. He hoped they would spend an enjoyable evening. (Applause)

An Excellent Programme

was provided, consisting of songs by Mr Smith, a pianoforte duet by Mr Wigginton and Mr Colton, and recitations by Messrs G W Button, Harry Neal, and F Berrill. Various games and competitions were freely indulged in.

A feature of the evening was a presentation from the General Committee to Mr Hornsby, the late president.

Mr Hobbs in making the presentation, said he was called upon to perform a pleasant duty that he had not anticipated. At the last annual meeting they lost a friend from the committee as well as from the presidential chair. In losing that friend they had lost one whom they all respected and who had done his duty to the society. It was his duty, in the absence of Mr French, to make a somewhat pleasing presentation to their friend Mr Hornsby, and he would like to mention one or two things about Mr Hornsby, although he was not given to flattery. He never wished to sit under a better chairman than Mr Hornsby had been. Mr Hornsby had striven to carry out his duties in a strict and

Impartial Manner

He (Mr Hobbs) was not going to say that he had never disagreed with Mr Hornsby. Mr Hornsby had thought fit to sever his connection with the society as president, although he had promised that his interests would be with them as before. They as the committee thought that after nine years’ work on the committee some fitting recognition should be made of Mr Hornsby’s services. The presentation would take the form of a photograph of the committee, with Mr Hornsby in the midst, and he asked him to accept it with their best wishes for his future welfare. (Applause)

Mr Hornsby, in acknowledging the gift, said it certainly did his heart good to hear the kind words Mr Hobbs had spoken. He wondered what he had done to receive such a recognition of his services. Each member of the committee had done their duty equally with himself. He highly appreciated the gift and also the motive which prompted it. He had tried to do his duty as had all his colleagues. The society had had its ups and downs, but during the past ten years it had made great strides. That was largely due to the

Unity and Fraternity

Which existed among the employees, and he saw no reason, with the present committee and present employees, why the society should not make greater strides in the future than it had in the past. If they all did their duty and worked should to shoulder there was a great future before the society.

Mr W J Cure, who followed, said he had also a very pleasing duty. The committee had recognised the value of Hornsby’s services and had shown their practical appreciation of them. He was there to say that the committee did not appreciate his services more than did the employees. A kindly, friendly disposition had always been exercised by Mr Hornsby towards the employees. They must indeed feel as employees that Mr Hornsby was a true man and all he had done had been done with pure motives. The employees regretted that they were not in a position to show their appreciation of Mr Hornsby in a tangible fashion that night, but he wished to ask Mr Hornsby to accept formally an

Illuminated Address,

expressing their sentiments and best wishes for his future well being. He regretted that the address was not ready that evening but they expected it in about 14 days.

Mr Hornsby, in reply, said the presentation from the employees came as an entire surprise to him, and he hardly knew how to thank them. He thanked them from the bottom of his heart, for the kind words spoken by Mr Cure. He had striven during his term of office for the best interests of the employees. He had emphasised more than once that if they could get a good staff of employees the work of the committee would be easy. He wished to sincerely thank them for their practical appreciation of his efforts. (Applause)