AUDIT DEPARTMENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 766, 15 March 1910, Page 6

AUDIT DEPARTMENT.

r* RETIRING OFFICIALS HONOURED, BEMAEKS BT PEXHE MINISTEE. Members of the stafE of the Audit Department assembled yesterday afternoon for the purpose of making presentations to Air. J. K. Warburton, who recently resigned from the position of Controller and Auditor-General, and tn Mr. J. B. Heywood, who is retiring from the office of Assistant Controller and Auditor-GcneraL Unfortunately, Mr. Warburton was unable to be present owing to an attack of bronchitis. Mr. Webb, chief clerk, said that the Audit Department had always been under the control of very efficient officers. Mr. Fitzgerald, who held the position prior to Mr. .Warburton, was a man of high ideals. According to Mr. Fitzgerald, every public official should make it his first duly to prepare himself to perform any duty which might, fall to his lot. With regard to Mr. Warburton, he might say that it was generally acknowledged that he had also filled the position with great credit to himself. They, regretted that he had been prevented from attending the functioii. ' The Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) said that nobody recognised : more than ho did the great importance of having a. completely independent and careful ■Audit' Department. : A great deal , depended upon the work of the Department being carried out' with strict impartiality and the utmost possible care. In this regard the Department was a shining example both for this and other countries. As Mr. Webb had said, Mr. Fitzgerald was a singularly able Controller and Auditor-General, whilst Mr. Gavin, who was ;associated with- him, also made an excellent .-public official; : So-in their turn Mr. Warburton and Mr. Heywood had followed iii their footsteps in a way which had been for the good of _ the country. He was sorry that Mr. Warburton was unable to' be present, but he would ask Colonel Collins to accept on his behalf a handsome silver coffee-pot and salver suitably inscribed. (Loud applause.) He would like at that stage to congratulate Colonel Collins, the _ new Controller and Auditor-General, upon having worked up to the highest position it was possible for him to attain in the public service, lteferring to Mr. Warburtoil's career, Sir J-oseph went on to say that it was one to' which the younger members ; in the service might 'do well to pay . attention. He had - discharged - the duties of every position which he had occupied .. to the complete satisfaction of the' Government and the country. Some, of. the reforms which he had initiated whilst a member of the Postal Department had been of great value: to . the public, i and would stand for all rime., iiir Joseph next aEuded to Mr. Heywood'a lengthy connection with.. the public service, which dated back ,to 1871. Besides being an officer with more than ordinary capacity, Mr. Heyw-ood. had £he benefit of wide experience in financial ■ matters. -In the various ■' positions which he had held his work had given very great satisfaction. :It was (he understood) Mr. Heywood's 'intention to join some of the members of his family at Home. He (Sir Joseph) thought it not unlikely that Mr. Heywood,- like many other New Zealanders who had gone Homej would again return to the Dominion. If, he 'did so-he could always be sure of a warm- welcome from the many/friends lie had made here. It gave him great pleasure to ask Mr., Heywood to accept from the : staff ; several gifts—a silver cigar : case, gold "sovereign case, travelling rug, 1 and photograph of the staff—as a token of their esteem. (Loud applause.) In conclusion' Sir Joseph, on behalf 01 himself and the staff, wished both Mr. Warburton and Mr. Heywood long life and. happiness. Mr. Heywood suitably acknowledged the honour which had been done him. He .went on to say that although he was leaving New Zealand, at an early date he trusted that he would see them all again. .To the -younger members of the staff he would like to say .'that in his opinion the great) object,lin'-i.the -public 'service was for one to try to do his utmost in the position in which he was placed. More 'than that; they should try and learn the'work:which fell'to'-the'lot .'of their superiors so that when the time came—it generally came—they would be in the happy position of being able to do, it when,called'.upon to take np the duties.' ;This had- always been his motto: "Try; to learn the work of the ; man above. It was a good plan to adopt and -must lead to' success. /Mr. Heywood then referred to the cordial relations which had always, existed between- and the staff, which he declared performed its varied and responsible work very efficiently. .. . Colonel Collins, on behalf of Mr. Warburton, said he felt sure!that he would deeply value the good feeling which had prompted the : presentation. .It must be very' satisfactory to Mr. ■ Warburton ■to have the consciousness that he had done his work well, and -that he was so greatly esteemed by those who had been associI ated with him. In conclusion, he thanked ! Sir Joseph for having acceded to. . the ! general wish that . he should. make the ' presentations.' '