AN OLD RAILWAY SERVANT

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 47, 19 November 1926, Page 12

AN OLD RAILWAY SERVANT

$ PRESENTATION TO MR. J. SCOTT A very pleasant gathering was held in the Petone Workshops yesterday at lunch time, when Mr. J. Scott, who is retiring from the Railway Department after 37 years’ service, was presented with a pair of field glasses for himself and a solid silver teapot for Mrs. Scott Mi. Scott has been foreman boilermaker at Petone for nine years. After serve ing his apprenticeship in England, he decided to come to New Zealand in 1885. On arrival, he settled in Christchurch, where he worked at his trade with Messrs. Scott Bros., engineers. In 1893 he left that firm to join the Railway Department as boilermaker, being stationed at Eastown Workshops, Wanganui, for 20 years. He was promoted to leading hand and transferred to Addington in 1913, where he stayed until 1918, when he was appointed workshop foreman of the boilermaking department at Petone. In his young days, Mr. Scott was actively connected with rowing, rifle shooting, and fire brigades, and in later years has taken up bowling. He is the president of the Petone Rifle Club. Mr. George Hogg, on behalf of the boiler shop, said that Mr. Scott was good to his men and had never been a driver. Perhaps if he had been more of a driver he would have been further ahead in, the service. Mr. Hogg had, he said, worked under four foremen as leading hand, and had never worked for one who was more humane to the men, and on that account Mr. Scott had got more out of his men. He wished Mr. Scott long life and good health, both for himself and his wife. Mr. A. E. Walworth, workshop manager, in making the presentations, said hi had known Mr. Scott for 27 years, and could say that he had always come up smiling after any difficulties he had met. The Department was losing a good officer and the staff a good friend. He wished Mr. Scott many years in which to enjoy his superannuation. Mr. W. H. Edwards, secretary of the local branch of the A.S.R.S., and Mr. J. McDougall, representing the Tradesmen’s Association, spoke on similar lines.

Mr. Scott, in replying, said he was a very proud man that day, but was afraid he did not deserve the kind remarks made about him. He had had a ‘‘good spin” in the service, and was proud of his Petone connection. He would remember during his whole life the sendoff they had given him. He thanked them all for their treatment of him while amongst them, and aupealed for similar treatment for his successor. He thanked them all for the gifts. On the call of Mr. Hogg, cheers were given for Mr. and Hrs. Scott.