Famous Old-time Member of Recreation Club The rapidly dwindling band of oldlume "Rees," who have striven so hard to keep the modern young fellows in the club up to the standards of former days, shortly will ko further reduced, Whilst the house of Ewo will lose one of its most Joyal and trusted duniovassals, no less popular In the great Scottish firm by reason of the fact that he is an Irishman, when Mr. Walter England Wilson sails for Home on retirement. It may be that his sailing will be by way of a double celebration, for he is to leave by the s, Corfu on the festival day of his country, March 17.
As is the custom in Shanghat when popular old hands are about to sever their connection with the Set-loment, Mr, Wilson has been steadily cating his way for some time past, with all the usual oratorical accom-Paniments. He was the guest ata very festive affair at the New Asia Hoiel on Saturday evening, when a big gathering of Chinese gentlemen, all personal. friends of Mr, Wilson, and including all the senior employees of Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Ca, met to do him honour. A dozen or 80 foreign ladies and gentiem cluding Dean Trivett, also present, Mr, Pan Tse-chuen, who ws chair, handed Mr. Wilson, as a aift from his Chinese friends, ive and very tuely wrougl pagoda, which will make a splendid ornament for his sideboard, but will be a veritable nightmare for his parlourmald, unless he elects personally be responsible for its cleaning, A clever Chinese "conjuring entertain ment wag given during dinner, after which there must have been quite an hour of speechmaking, for it seemed that almost everyone present had pleasant memories in connection with Walter" to recall and an insistence on lauding his many attractive quallties as displayed in business, sport, trid socially.
Mr, Wilson can make a genuine claim not to have wasted any of his years. Ho is retiring at the age of 54, after having spent 40 years In the service of Messrs, Jardine, Matheson Ca. He is making Ruislip, in Middlesex, England, his permanent residence. Older residents of sporting proclivities will remember Mr, Wilson an all-round athlete with' such a lengthy list of great achievements. to credit that it is quite Impossible even to begin to write of them, but it may be noted that he is a double having represented Shanghai at both Soccer and cricket Jon more than one occasion. The Recreation Club was his great love, but hho also has been a power in' the Cathedral Club and the Cathedral Tennis Club, and a prominent mom-bor of St. Patrick's Society. It goes without saying that he was a Volunteer, for every mon in his day Joined the'S.V.C. He was with the Corps and possesses the Loni, Service Medal and the British Boxer
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.