Untitled

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 472, 2 April 1909, Page 6

jppointed seoretary and member of the Council of Defence and promoted to the rank of Colonel in N.Z. Militia. Mr. Henry Trent, tho retiring Commissioner of Crown Lands. Hawko's Bay, was born in London in 1848. He arrived in Nelson in 1860, and was appointed under tho Provin;ial Government as a cadet in the Survey Department in 1863. In 1868 ho was appointed draughtsman at "Westport, and later assistant mining surveyor, which. position ho retained until 1873, when he was promoted to bo district surveyor in charge of tho Grey Valley district. In 1876 ho received tho appointment of chief draughtsman at Nelson; m 1904 ho was made Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor for Marlborough, and in July, 1906,' was promoted to tho same offices for Hawko's Bay, Mr. H. W. Northcroft, who retires from the Magistracy, was born in 1846, and after service in tho Maori war, was Resident Afagistrate for tho Waikato (1877), and Goldfiold "Warden nnod Magistrate at Thames, before being appointed'to his latest position in 1892. , ~ Mr. A. Tumbril, S.M., was formerly district land registrar at Nelson, 1872; then an officer of the lands registry office, AVcllington, Registrar Supremo Court, Nelson, 1879; Stipendiary Magistrate, Napier, 1891; and Hawera, 1904. Mr. Richard Evatt, Inspector of Offices in the Agricultural Department, is not yot Go years of age. He has been in the service about 30 years. The Promoted Officers. Mr. John Douglas Ritchio, who it is to bo presumed will hold the joint positions of Secretary for Agriculture and Land Purehaso Inspector, was born in Scotland in and on arrival in New Zealand in 1877 took up pastoral pursuits. He joined tho public service in April, 1891, as chief inspector of itock, and a year later was, in addition, appointed first secretary for agriculture. Mi-. Edwin Bamford, tho new Deputy Registrar-Goneral of Lands, was born in Shropshire, England, in 1546; educated at Lyttelton and Cliristchurch; studied law under Mr. W. Sefton Moorhouso and. Mr. Justico "Williams, and was admitted barrister in 1871. He was then appointed examiner of titles, being variously stationed at Napier, Blenheim, New Plymouth, and Nelson. Ho was transferred to Auckland in 1893, and holds there" tho positions of district Registrar of Lands and Deeds and Deputy Commissioner of Stamps. It is understood that the Stamps Department will ultimately be combined with that of Lands and Deeds under his control. Dr. F. Hay will, for the present at any rate, have charge of tho Departments of Prisons and Mental Hospitals together. He is an expert in criminal diseases, and to that extent should be well fitted to carry out tho reforms in prison management suggested by Dr. Eindlay. Mr. R. Carter, the new Secretary and Inspector of Customs, has heen collector at "Wellington since January last, and previously held the same position at Nelson and Christchurch. He entered the service in 1865, and was landing surveyor-for four years at Dunedin and seven years at Wellington before attaining to positions of more dignity. Mr. J. Strauchon, the now SurveyorGeneral, is well-known in "Wellington, where he was Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor from 1902 till 1908. He was born in Scotland on "March 29, 1848, entered the Provincial Engineer's Department in 1862, and Survey Department 1865, and was district surveyor at Mataura froin 1871 to 1891. He then becamo Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor, "Westland, from 1891 to 1893; chief enumerator for census and collector of agricultural statistics; Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor in Taranaki, _ 1893-1901; Bchool commissioner, member North Island Electoral Representation Commission, vicepresident Taranaki Scenery Preservation Society; chairman Mount Egmont Reserves Board, and afterwards of Mount Egmont National Park Board and the Commissioner . of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor, "Wellington, 1902. Mr. Strauchon is a highly ] capable and popular officer. Mr. Thomas Noel Brodrick, who will be : Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief ' Surveyor for Hawke's Bay, was born in ! London in 1855; appointed assistant surveyor ' • South Canterbury General Government" stalff ' in April 1877; district surveyor North Can- } terbury, 1895, and inspecting surveyor and i land officer, Gisborne, in 1906. . |

PRESENTATION TO MB. J. S. WELCH. Mr. J. S. Welch, the retiring seijior iraughtsman of the district office of the Lands and Survey Department, was presented by bis Departmental comrades yesterday afternoon with an illuminated address, in album form, and a. pair of solid silver candlesticks. Mr. James Mackenzie, Commissioner of Crown Lands, in making the presentation, recalled his long acquaintance with Mr. Welch, dating back as far as the early 70's. There was only one man in the North Island whom ho had known longer. Everything Mr."Welch did he had always done well, both as a young man and as a veteran in the Service. ' From first to last, moreover, he had always been considerate to those with whom he worked, and, in respect of his Departmental diities, an example to young and old alike. On behalf of the whole staff, he wished Mr. Welch a long enjoyment of the pension, which he had earned, if ever a man had. The testimonial which he handed him was signed by everyone in the office. Mr. J. W. Davis, chief draughtsman, warmly' endorsed the praise of Mr.' Mackenzie. Mr. G. Wright, chief clerk, described Mr. Welch "as a fine pattern of an official,. a kindly and considerate gentleman, and in Tespoct of his work, always the first man in the office in the morning." Messrs. F. A. Thompson and C. E. Adams added their tributes and good wishes, and Mr. Welch feelingly replied. Othor Presentations. Mr. A. E. Bybles, clerk in the Audit Department, who is retiring on superannuation, has been presented' by his fellow-officers wlch a generous purse of sovereigns. The presentation was mado'by Mr. J. K. Warburton, Controller and Auditor-General, who spoko warmly of Mr. Bybles's good qualities as an officer and man. Mr. J. B. Hoywood, Assistant-Controller, added ' his tribute.' Mr. Bybles joined tho Public Works Department in 1883, and the Audit Department in 1891. Mr. John Thorburn, clerk in the Department of Internal Affairs, who is retiring at tho age limit, was presented by his brother officers yesterday with a number of smokers' requisites. Mr. W. Knowles, who is retiring on superannuation from tho Stamp Department, has been presented by his fellow-officers with a travelling rug and umbrella. Mr. Dixon, chief clerk, made tho presentation, and eulogised Mr. Knowles's services and character. Mr. F. 3. M. D. Walmsley, Deputy Commissioner of Taxes, who retires at tho Jimit, has been presented with an illuminated address by his fellow officers. Mr. P. Heyes, Commissioner of Taxes, in makinotho presentation, paid a high tribute to the departing officer. Mr. Walmsley has been thirty years m tho service. Mr. T. L. Ward, who is retiring from the service- of tho Land and Income Tax Department after about twelve years' service, has been presented by his follow-workors with a substantial tokon of thoir esteem.

CLASSIFICATION BOARD. It is oxpected that tho sub-committee of tlio Classification Board will hold a final meeting on Monday next, after which their proposed scheme of classification will bo placed before a mooting of the board. It remains to be seen how their scheme of salaries will be affected by tho retrench, ments and amalgamations which tho Prime Minister is expected to announce in his speech at Upper Hutt to-night. Tho Classification Board was appointed upwards of a year ago, and tho great labours of its committee in re-classifying tho Departments, and fixing salaries, was commenced before tho Government decided on its new policy of retrenchment.