A NOTABLE OFFICIAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 109, 1 February 1919, Page 9

A NOTABLE OFFICIAL

RETIREMENT OF MR. G. V. HUDSON SCIENTIST AND CIVIL SERVANT 'I'he whole of the head office staff of the General Post Office assembled iii the ' room of the Secretary (Mr. W. It. Morra) yesterday afternoon, for the purpose of, formally bidding good-bye to Mr. G. V. Hudson, principal clerk of the Postal Division (in -which office is. embodied the chief clerkship of the chief inspector's office, and dead letter branch). Mr. Hudson joined the eervico on February 1, 1883, and after a few years spent in Palmerston North and the AVellington mail i;oom, became attached to the head office, -and has been in Wellington ever since, He succeeded to the post of principal clerk in the year 1901, and is retiring on superannuation, to devote him- I self' more closely to the study of entomology and astronomy, ill which sciences his name is known and honoured throughout the world. In addressing Mr. Hudson on behalf of the staff, the Secretary, referring to the ■ regard in which Mr. Hudson had always been held by his fellow officers, said that 110 had been associated witli the Department for a period of thirtysix years, and with the exception of eix of those yearn he had been a deal more closely associated with Mr. Hudson for many years than they had been more recently. : In carrying out. the important duties attaching to the principal clerk of the dead- letter office, Mr. Hud-' son's work had beva' characterised by a thoroughness and determination to at all cost do his best for 'the Department, and in losing his servicus they were los-: ing an efficient, and energetic officer, j who was so sure and thorough that when j he made a statement everyone jmew it i could be accepted as fact. No one would question a statement made by Mr. Hudson. His name was not confined to the Post and Telegraph Department. It was a name that was known all the world over as an entomologist,-who had written some very wonderful and interesting works of great value to students of the cult, including books on the lepidopteria and neuropteria of New Zealand., Another book was his "Manual of New Zealand Entomology," a standard work with beautiful plates, to be found in every scientific Mr. Hudson ■was also known in the domain of astronomy, and was credited with being the discoverer of the new star, Nova Aquilae, which was talked of throughout the world ; The only one to dispute tho honour with their colleague was si boy at the Waitaki School, -but he was inclined to give the credit to Mr. Hudson. (Applause and laughter.) In their younper 'days, when they'used to go out fishing, they contracted quite-a habit of going to Mr. Hudson to find out what the weather was'going to be like. And lie was generally right. Tliosb were a few .of Mr. Hudson's qualifications among a -host of other things. He -regretted Mr. Hudson's retirement from the' service as the severance of another link with the past, and he hoped that Mr. Hudson would long, be spared to enjoy a happy period of rest, which, however, he did not think would be rest in the case of Mr. Hudson. Mr. Hudson: "No, indeed, it. won't." Mr. .Morris, on behalf of the staff, handed to Mr. Hudson a fine pair of prism glasses in a solid leather case as a slight tribute of esteem in which ho had been held by his colleagues, one and all. Three cheers were called and given to the retiring principal clerk. Mr. Hudson said that whilst he felt that he did not deserve all the thugs that had been said of him, he felt that he could look back upon the past with satisfaction. His whole official career had been a success, and a pleasant experience. In casting back Mr. Hudson eaid that when he joined the service on February 1, 1883, there was only one train running out of AVellington, and that was to Masterton. Ho had to go to Palmerston North,by a coach, which left the old New Zealander Hotel at 4 o'clock in the morning, and which used to proceed along .the beach as far an Foxton. He remembered the dread feeling he had in, travelling along the beach aftef'-having come ■ fresh out from wellroaded and railed England. Tha most notable cataclysm in: his official experience was the fire in 1887, when the Gene-, ral Post Office was burnt down. He was on early duty, which meant that they had to be down at the office at 5 a.m. Naturally they did not get up any too early before that hour, and all they did in the way of berakfast was to Bnatch a piece of bread and butter, and go off to work. He was 1 going down Willis Street—it was • quite dark—still munching his bread and butter, when someone called out that the Post Office was on fire. It was true. He then had to think what to do, ant| went for the mails, which they were successful in getting out. His share of the work that dayi was to proceed to the Wairarapa with the mails. Mr. T. E. Donne (now of the High Commissioner's staff) was stationmaster, and. gave him string, sealing-wax, and some brown paper, and 60 equipped he 6orled and carried (ho mail through—probably establishing the first travelling post office in New Zealand. On October 1; 1887, the parcels post was first established. Tjie first parcel was sent by the late Mr. Wm. Gray (formerly Secretary to the Department) to Mr. Dodshun, and he was the officer who defaced 'the stamp. Making "then and now" comparisons, Mr. Hudson eaid

that there was'. 110 doubt thoy had to work harder in the old days than they did to-day, But they had a more free range of duties than the officers of to-day. The only means of refreshment in the building' then was a gas ring and a tin kettle in the cellar, and they seldom had time to boil two lots of water for the eggs and the cocoa. (Laughter.) Early in 1890 he .was called upon to make a report on something or other. It evidently gave satisfaction, as he was soon afterwards called to Wellington, and had been here all the time since. He thought that the prospects of th? younger men in the service were much brighter than they used to be. In the old days they had no typewriters and calculating machines to help jthem. Such ingenious applications of scientific principles must tend to reduce the hours of labour and mprove conditions generally, and he felt that those better conditions would bo enjoyed by the younger officials. He thanked Mr. Morris for the kind references he had made to himself, and returned heart?' thanks for the present. Mr. Morris said, in conclusion, that Mr. Hudson 'would carry with him the good wishes of all his •fellow officers wherever he might go. A cordial handshaking with the retiring officer terminated the' proceedings. Among those present were Messrs. R. B. Morris (assistant Secretary), Mr. H, A. Huggins (actimr-second ;assistant secretary), Mr. J. C. Williamson, chief inspector, Mr. A. T. Markman (acting-chief inspector), an<l Mr. P. Johnson (chief accountant and controller of the Money Order Office and Savings Bank).