LOSS TO ENGINEERING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 157, 28 March 1919, Page 8

LOSS TO ENGINEERING

FAREWELL TO MR. EVAN PARRY BY PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY Mr. Evan Parry, who is relinquishing the position of Chief Electrical Engineer to the New Zealand Government, was farewelled yesterday by the nicrnliers of the Wellington i'hilosophical Society, of which Mr. i'arry has been a most active member. Mr. Parry is leaving New Zealand, to take one of the most attractive positions that could be offered to' any electrical engineer in the world. A big British company has lately been, formed by a merging of existing British companies, with the object of wresting from Germany and America tho supremacy these countries threatened to capture in electrical engineering. When this big concern was lookiug for the best men obtainable to take charge of the technical side of the huge venture, the choice fell on Mr. Evan Parry, far away in New Zealand.

Mr. and Mrs. Parry were the guests at an afternoon tea in lvelburn Kiosk, at which' almost every ,member of the society attended, with about an equal number of ladies. Practically every man in the city interested in science, or in engineering, was present. Mr. it. W. Holmes, president of the j society, presided at the leathering, and ha i was the first to speak the words of fare- I well and good wishes 011 behalf of the society. He spoko of the generous work ! Mr. Parry had done as a member of the 1 society, and wished him long life and happiness, and a successful career in . his new position. Mr. S. 11. Jenkinsoh, chairman of the Technological Section, the department of 1 the society with which Mr. Parry lias | been • chiefly coneorned, spoke en be- ] half of the members of his branch. He 1 eaid that the energy and enthusiasm of I Mr. Parry had carried the 6ection over many obstacles, and in' other respects had been an 'inspiration to members. He had been a messenger from the outer, wider world of .engineering, a link with the forces of engineering elsewhere. The whole . engineering profession would be a sufferer by the loss of Mr. Parry. He hoped that Mr. Parry, who in his seven years of residence here had, from being a AVolshman, become a New Zenlander, would in his spare time be an ambassador for Now Zealand in Britain. Dr. Hector, 'Professor liasterfield, and Mr. L. Birks (who succeeds Mr. Parry) also offered good wishes. . , Mr. Parry, ill'reply, disclaimed merit' for all the good tilings said of him. He had not sought the transfer hiiswlf. 'Hie invitation had coine from the other side of the world, and tlio inducements .wore such that he could not afford to fni-Ko them. He had no fault to find with anybody in regard to his ?oing. It so happened that he was of moro value tn certain people in London than to the Now Zealand Government, and that was all there was to it. He certainly had taken an interest in the technological section of the society, and he had also taken very much to heart the success of tlio "Journal." He hoped that the time would soon come when the efforts already begun would result in the establishment of a technological library in New Zealand, for the lack of such a library in Wellington was seriously felt bv the engineering profession. He had himself felt the lack of it 011 many occasions. Mr. Jenkinson had referred to his being an ambassador for New Zealand. In one sense Jie would be an ambassador, for the Goiprnmcnt of New Zealand had given him a retainer to act for them if need should arise. He had at first, felt inclined to refuse this offer, because 110 could not see how lie could undertake this work without compromising his other employers' interests, but ha had decided at "length that it might be possible for him to do something for New Zealand as well as for his new employers. One of the largest chemical manufacturers" in the world had approached him about the water-powet resources of New Zealand, and had asked l:im to confer in England with the technical experts of tho firm. It wiia'then that he saw how he might be able to do something for our Government, and ho accented tho commission offered him. Possibly 0116 of his first duties in London Mould be to meet the engineers of that firm and discuss with them the possibilities of establishing an electro-chemical industry in New Zealand. He thanked tho company for their good wishes.