A presentation was made at the Customs Club, Chinkiang, on the 6th instant, when the members of the Customs staff assembled to bid farewell to their colleague Mr. Elder, Chief Appraiser, who is retiring after 39 years' service.
Mr. F. J. Mayers, Commissioner of Customs, in making the presentation, said—On behalf of the memnbers of the Service, end their families, tt is my privilege to-day to express the keen regret of us all at the impending ret*remeat of our colleague and friend, Mr. Elder, who is shortly terminating a long and very honourable career in our Service. I think that I have probably known Mr. Elder longer than anyone else here present to-day. He may perhaps remember a young "subscription griffin' in Tamsui, North Formosa, some 30 years ago. Well, I was that griffin. " Since then our careers have kept us more or less widely apart, but we have met on occasions; so when Mr. Elder was appointed to Chinkiang I felt that it was an old friend, wd. no stranger, who was coming to us. I don't think I ever had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Elder before her arrival here; and that has been my misfortune. She will be greatly missed by her many friends, which means the whole community.
We wish Mr. and Mrs. Elder the happiest of times at Home; and the next time I visit Edinburgh I shall search all the golf courses for one of the founders of the Chinkiang Golf Club; and I think I shall find him.
Mr. Mayers then asked Mr. and Mrs. Elder to accept from their friends a tea set as a token of affectionate regard, while he asked Mrs. Elder to receive a bracelet of lucky cash as a personal souvenir.
The Senior Weigher, Mr. Chieh Ming-shan, then presented Mr. Elder with a walking stick, suitably engraved, as a present. from the Chinese members of the examination staff.
Mr. Elder feelingly returned thanks, mentioning the happy memories he would carry with him of his stay in Chinkiang.
Mr. and Mrs. Elder, who lived for many years in Kiukiang and Shanghai, will carry with them on their departure from the Far hast the good wishes of numerous friends in both ports.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.