COLONEL HUME HONOURED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 550, 3 July 1909, Page 6

COLONEL HUME HONOURED.

A PRESENTATION. Lioutenant-Cokmel/Hume, who lately retired on superannuation from tho position of Inspector ot Prisons, was tho recipient of a valuable presentation yesterday afternoon. Tho ceremony took place in the office of the Minister for Justice (Hon.; Dr. Findlay), who presided. Dr. Hay, Inspector- of Prisons, and several gentlemen who had been officially connected with Colonel Huino were present. The Minister said that Colonel Hume had been for nearly 30 years a> familiar figure in tho public and social life of Now Zealand. Ho bad occupied, with conspicuous success, a high position in ' tho public service, but before coming to New Zealand ho had given distinguished service to the late v Queen m the army in India, at Aldershotl and in the prison service. Ho came , to New Zealand twenty-nine years ago, to take up'the positions of Commissioner of Police, and Inspector of Prisons. Since his own appoint! ment'as-Minister-for Justice, he (Dr. Findlay) had realised , , more than ever before, the great difficulties and responsibilities of Colonel Hume's position, and his success in that position was highly creditablo to him. Though still hale and vigorous,-in spite of his age, Colonel Hume,, when tho time for retiremont came, discussed it with the llin-1 ister, with tho sole object of discovering how best 'tho public interest /could be served. After wishing' Colonel Humo a leisure, rich, and profitable in the highest sense, the Minister handed him, in 'the name of the visiting justices and ' tho Departmental officers, a purse or sovereigns. I Lieut.-Cotbnel Humo, in the course of a 1 feeling Toply, remarked that, by tho 29th of this month, ho would have been 50 years in the public service in Now Zealand 'and olsowhero. Hβ thought that anyone who could compare tho prisons of New Zealand as they wero in 1880 and now, ivoukl agree that, having regard to the financial condi-' tions, a great improvement had taken place. Tho superannuation provisions' had removed any grievance' that tnight otherwise have been attached to retirement on superannuation./ In conclusion, Colonel Humo spoke appreciatively of his successors in the service, Mr. Waldegrave (Secretary for Justice), and Dr. Hay (Inspector of Prisons). Mossrs. J. R. Blair, J. Lutchman, A. Annstrong (ex-gaoler, WeDrngton), W. Gollan (of the office staff, Prisons Department), and S. G. Millington (gaoler, Wellington), also spoke.