ENGINEERS' INSTITUTE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 753, 28 February 1910, Page 9

ENGINEERS' INSTITUTE.

FAREWELL TO MR. D. M'CAIG. Tho Wellington branch of the-Austra-lasian,. Institute', of- Marine. Engineers tendered . a., complimentary-luncheon to Mr." David' M'Caig,' -late superintendent engineer of tho Union Company in Australia; at the Institute' Rooms,, on Saturday. The chair was occupied;by 'Mr.'' J. Darling,"president"-.of. the- .Wellington branch,-: who presided .over and' representative gathering 'of engineers.. Apologies '■ for non-attendance'.wero received fromithe Hon. Geo. ■Fbwlds,:Slr. J..P. Luke,.and several other,members... ; .. Mr..: D, Robertson considered that the fact'that Mr. M'Caig had,spent his whole' life'amongst them 'and had .been,, thus ■honoured ■ on'his. -retirement '•was . testi-' mpny worth having: :,.The :bcst part of .their guest's lifetime had'been spent in tho..service; of the Union' Company/ and he had risen from the bottom to, the top by. his : own push and; capability. ; Mr. M'Caig. had commenced his career as"an apprentice iri'.Messrs';:''A,,'arid G. Thompson's worksi Glasgow.' l He subsequently, joined an. Allah liner as fourth engineer, and..worked up to the position- of chief engineer. Later, ,he . came, to New Zea-, land:'in:.the.:well-known: steamer' Roto-; mahana, then the fastest steamer in. tho Union Company's fleet, and while ■he was in -her he ;kept -her right Up to .'the' sta.ndard... Later, ho": went through various other steamers in., tho-Union- Company service .until:he : wa's promoted : to. tho ■; responsible "shore '■■ position of. superintending engineer : : in \ Australia,, from .he'had' just retired after' reach-' ing, .the age-limit The.young men in .the profession could have no better object lesson. ' All ' young .'engineers wore endowed' with J'hands and brains, which, if properly; .trained, -would help . thcm r up tp;the, ladder.':. Iri. : 'retiring .after" '.his hard work,V-Mr..'M'Caig '.not. only ' took with: : him- the -good: wishes. of 1 ..his .'em-:, pldyers.but of the men :with:,whom '.ho had worked. He (the speaker) was sure everyone -would ,'join "with him in .saying "Long:, may,.he live:, and long; may-he, prosper/' (Applause.) In cpnclrision Mr. Robertson,' on' behalf, of: the gathering," handed: Mr. M'Caig, a' purse of sovereigns; They wore riot .'only honouring -Mr. M'Caig's welltenrned-retirement,,said;Mr. Robertson,-but it also, happened to'be. the 65th birthday ,'of; : their guest..:. (Ap_.planse;)'■.'•.:.-.;':•• ; ,-.';/..' i - '•:,.. 7 '..'■-■';■ '•:■ '::;;--:,'.;; • In replying, Mr.' M'Caig; thanked, members "for the;,gift 'and^good..wishes;:: .He: had been, working'with- some.!; of '■; the members ■; present f or;. the :• past' 30 - years/ and he had always : ,got'-;along",vfithout trouble,: which., made; this.' occasion, 'the, niore gratifying: :He had.taken:',a' good: deal of interest in the fofmntibn of; the : institute;in" 1880,' andJvas.pleased'.t'o -see . the growth : it had, mado./ The society had not been' formed;to work-against tho omployers,'-'and, 'he.:thought,-its. history; ■would; prove .this..::,. After/referring to the work:;of,'the institute and,' its secret tafy; (Mr.' Hisldp), the speaker went -on "to say that-ho .was leaving' Wellington :that .'liight,' and worild proceed to; Ehfj-;' land, via arid'..on ■ his: return; ho .would.make :;his homo;.in■'■'.Sydney, but; ho:: looke,d. iforward'' to .-always coming .over and spending :a month or two. in - .Wellington,', arid' meeting ,old; friends; iri-theso, fine institute'.rooms. .'.'. ''::•'

":--'Mr.'- A." general: manager for. Messrs; -Walker 'and Hall, Sydney,- proposed ■ the :>. toast of-', the .-'Australasian Institute of, Marino 'Engineers.' ''Mr. >-Nash spoke in-praise -of :-tho'excellent building' the' 'Wellington'branch' of'.'the'' institute possesiied. He himself could: speak'■per--sonally! 'of tho Old- Country: and' theiContinent.'.: On'one* occasion, 25 years ago,: 'said'; Mr. -Nash,'.ho was. travelling -on, a. steamer of'whion ; Air! M'Caig'.was:"ohief engineer^;; . The ';'.vessel; touched''bottom',' ; and when the chief turned round'ho-, saw a leg! disappearing;.up; the; cngino-rpohi' ladder. : , He oaiight that- leg' qnd. dragged the'; man back...' The: chief'restored order; ; and/savedvtha ship. :: (Applause.) 'Mr;'; .Nash-'said;,,hs;- was .surprised .'to' .know, that' the "membership of-the; local branch ■of the institute: was.-760;;and that ..members '-'"could.-bring their .wives to-tho in-; .'stitutc,. tho latter,.',in his opinion,'being, a.very;wise:move. -.■■:■;'-■;,:;:'•-" <•'-.'•'■.,;' Tho .chairman,.,' referring to the; fact that'- ladies .were, : -allowed :;;t6'' :onter ; -'the'; . club.-urged: that. this .was" very -necessary! ■in the -profession,-as frequently')'an .engineer -was only; in;port.for:a .'few. hours, • and, he -could'-not see-his wife ahd.family. sunless- he oould meet them at spine cenv, tral; place.;f The: chairman-;' weatipn'S'-jto. refer to'the aids to'educatiohal''improver.' ineht and other advantages "of the' olub; "•': .:-_■Mr: Av.-E;'Hislnp, secretary- of-'the Wel-lington-branoh,. stated-that .when'he took up.-the secretaryship, nineteen-years ago Mr.' 'M'Caig-K together 'with; others, 'wefo urging that {engineers'.should:,have';aVpe'r-i. mancnt; homp .here. -They -had .made, a' big step' ; forward;' in .getting their-;pfe-sont;buildihg, and it'-was hoped: later to make: the club'; a .residential ', one;' :.The olublwas -open .to "all visiting engineers,. but a number of visitors did: not:like: the idea 'of-paying'nothing at ;all. : 'f6r.-tho: : use;of the club, 'so .that a rule had "been. passed .which; would-enable: visitors who, desired to .have the use of. the;club at. .a fee-ofv 105... 6d.- per'; year...--,;lt,;was;not ;the half-guinea,'; the. institute,wanted, but -the men.-.-.-. .'-.';•..,-!'; '*.. -';s: 'i-'- ; ■;■' ■'■■ ;:.: Mr. Lodder.also' spoke ih> praise' of Mr;M'Caig.' - Songs were, given, during, .the ■afternoon by Messrs. .P. M'Coll; and; A. ; Bazire,'and the gathering concluded'with the .singing 'of ."Auld; Lang.:Syne,"-; ■';.:-