THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1395, 22 March 1912, Page 5

THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

IMPORTANT APPOINTMENTS.

MR. J, STRAUCHON.TO BE UNDER. SECRETARY FOR LANDS.

INSPECTOR CULLEN TO BECOME COMMISSIONER OF POLICE.

Consequent upon tlio retirement of Mr. W. C. Kensington from the position of Untler-Socrelary for Lands at the eml of the lnontli, certain appointments liavo bi'on ilctenniunil upon by Cabinet. It is understood Hint Mr. Kensington will bo succeeded by Mr. .Tolm fttriuichon, ttur-voyor-Goncral; that Mr. James Mackenzie (brother of Hie Hon. Thos. Mackenzie), now CommissioiiiT of Crown Lands for Hie Wellington district, will bo tho new Surveyor-General, nnd that Mr. V. T. O'Xeill, chief cleric in the Land's Department, becomes Assistant-Under-Socretary, a position which hitherto has not existed.

iMr. E. L. Mowbray, Accountant to tho Treasury and Deputy-Registrar of New Zealand Consols, who is retiring, is to be succeeded by Mr. A. 0.-Gibbes, at present chief clerk to tho Treasury, and Mr. ,T. J. Esson will bo derated to the chief clerkship.

The special correspondent of the Dunetlin "Star" .states that Mi'. W. S, Short, legal adviser to tho Public Works Dejiiirtment, becomes Undcr-SceroUry to the .Tnstico Department, vice Mr. AYn'Ulegravo (resigned); that Mr. C. E. Matthew?, seerrtury to tho Police Commissioner, is likely to become Uiidor-Socrotiiry of Works; that Inspector CuJlcn, of Auckland, becomes Commissioner of Police; end that,Mf. C. A , , riper, of Dunodiii, has been appointed Chief Transport Superintendent for the Dominion, and is under orders for immediate transfer lo Wellington. . ,'. . ..."..

The new Under-Secrokry of Lands Is <vii old servant of the Government. Ho was born in Berwick on March 29, ISiS, which makes him β-i years of ogo on I'ri-' day next, practically the eve of his elevation to (he head of Hie Department. Ho was educated at the 'Kilm'arriocl; Aradomy, Ayrshire, 'also at Prydo's Private Academy, Norwich School and School of Arts, Edinburgh. When quite a lad ho came to t.hi> colony, and at 14 years of age entered the Provincial Engineer's Department'of Otago, and. was transferred to the Survey Department in' lSGij, -became District Surveyor at Jlataura in 1871, in which position he. remained for somo years, broken by a short interval at Nelson in 1677. In 1891 Mr. Strauehoa was appointed Commissioner of CrownLands and Chief Surveyor for WestlamV, and two years later'.was promotedt to a' similar position in Taranaki... He remain-, ed there until 1901, at Hie end of which' year he was appointed Commissionerof Crown Lauds', for. Wellington district, Ho succeeded Mr. T. Humphries as SurveyorGeneral in 1907.

Mr. James Mackenzie, who becomes Sur-veyor-Genera!,'also came out of (ho Ota»o Provincial" Service. He whs' born in Edinburgh in 18-19, and was educated at tho Boys' High School at Dunediii. He entered the-Otasjo Provincial Survey Department in,1867, and was concerned in survey expeditions to Preservation Inlet and Martin's Bay. Ho qualified as a surveyor in 187 i; became assistant-surveyor for the Wellington provinco in 1872; district surveyor in 18,74, and five years later chief draughtsman for .the Wellington district. In 1902 ho was promoted (o bs Commissioner of Crown Lands and Chief Surveyor for the Auckland district/ and five years ajjo was appointed to similar duties in this district.

Inspector Cnlleu was born in Ireland in 1851, and. joined the Royal Irish Constabulary, and served with that corps during the years 18G9-70. After arriving in Now Zealand, Inspector Cullen served in tho Colonial Armed- Constabulary, and was promoted to tho rank of sergeant of police- in 1878. Ho has been stationed at Blenheim, Duncdin, Timani, Christchurch, Napier, and Wauganui, and succeeded the late Inspector.Hickson at Auckland in 181)9. -....,:

Mr. William Stonham Short was born in London'on Septoinber 8, 1852." Ifb'Svaij educated- 4 at" the; Foundation School, London, and C'nmdon College, Sydney, 2\ow South Wales. In 1808 -ho entered Mio firm of D'dvid Jones and. C6.,.Sydiicy,' aiid afterward!; was, in the office of Farmer and Co., of the "same City. After being engaged in mercantile pursuits in China ami Japan, Mr. Short entered the New Zealand -Government 'Service"in 'December, 187-f," and retired' in ISBl.' During ISBI-82 hq-was.-accountant/to" JV'.Duthio and Co., Wellington, re-entering tho Government Service again in 1882. ■ He ■ was appointed chief clerk in the Department of Lands and Survey in 1891, and transferred in the same capacity to Department of Übadsin-1901...-HC was ad-' mitted as a. solicitor of,-,iho ..Supremo Court of New. Zealand iu 1900, iinco which time ho has been. repeatedly appointed Government Commissioner to' adjudicate, under'commission from !ho Govornor, in cases' of "di's-into between local bodies and others.

Mr. C. E. Matthews was for several years private secretary to tlio lion. J. M'Gowan, Minister for Justice and Mines in the Seddon an<l Ward 'Government*. Oiv the retirement of Mr. M;Uo\van in 1909, Mr. Matthews became , private secretary to the Hon. .1(. M'Kcnzie, Minister for Public Works and Mines. When the head office of. the Police Department was reorganised upon the retirement of Mr. W. Dinnie from tho Cominissionership, Mr. Matthews became cln'cf clerk to tliat Department. Prior to becoming a pri'vato secretary, Mr. Matthews was engaged for a number of years in tho Justice Department. Ho is mi elder brother, of Mr. F. G. Matthews, private secretary to Sir Joseph Ward.