NEW CHIEF TELEGRAPH ENGINEER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 202, 15 May 1918, Page 4

NEW CHIEF TELEGRAPH ENGINEER

Mfi. E. A. SHRIMPTON

Mr. E. A. Shrimpton, M.1.E.E.,0f Wellington, who has been t ppointed to suoceod Mr. J. Orcbstou as Chief Telegraph Engineor, is a first-class honours man in telegraphy atd telephony (City and Guilds Institute, London), and he is one of tho few who . make a hobby of his business Mr. Shrimpton joined the service as a telegraph messenger in'lV maru, and, owing to his having l™rnod operating in his own time, did not have to go to tho learners' gallery In 1889 he was given a cadetehip at oad three years later ho w £M 6tabl^ cd a telegraphist at Blenheim. On the breaking up of tho transmitting staff at Blonhoim, Mr. Shrimpton was transferred to Christohurch as a telegraphist. Five years later he was promoted and transferred to tho technical branch ,ot the Department, and given the post ot Assistant Mechanician, Ohristchurch. Tho following year saw him Mechanician in Christehuroh. Still remaining in tha same centre lie became assistant electrician (1905;, ussistant engineer (1P08), and in 1909 was promoted to bo assistant engineer at Auckland. In 1911 ho was promoted to bo engineer for the Wellington district, which includes Hawkos Bay.Poverh Bay. Taranaki, part 'jf the Auckland Province, and Marlborough Province It was Mr. Shrimpton who installed the first central battery telephone system at Timaru in 1910 and since he has been engineer in Wellington he lhas supervised all th<J cable-repairing work. When in Auckland ho ".as the officer selected to go to Fiji and metal there a telegraphic system, and set up telephono exchanges for fhe Administration. Mr Shrimpton mentions it as, coincidental that he ioined the service on Juno 1, was appointed engineer in Wellington on June 1, and will take up tho duhes of Chief Engineer on tho same date. Another rather interesting coincidence is the fact that Mr. Shrimpton is a nephow of tho lnte Mr. Edward Graves (his mother's brother), who held for a number of years tho immensely responsible position of Engineer-in-Chiet of tho Telegraphs of Great Britain.