OFFICERS RETIRE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 8, 5 October 1943, Page 6

OFFICERS RETIRE

Railway Department Executives MINISTER’S TRIBUTE

Referring yesterday, to the retirement on superannuation this week of three executive officers of the Railways Department—-Messrs. A. L. Smith, transportation superintendent, W. Bishop, chief accountant, and P. M. Muir, controller of stores, the Minister of Railways, .Mr. Semple, spoke appreciatively of the valuable service given by the officers over a period of more than 40 years. The Minister said that their efficiency and capacity as heads of departments were an example to oncoming officers in the service. “During the past four years of war,” added the Minister, “the railways have had to'meet under trying and difficult conditions the heaviest demands ever yet made .on them, ajid, in the satisfactory fulfilment of all requirements, both on the traffic and administrative side, the experience, resourcefulness and organizing capabilities of the officers now retiring have been of incalculable value.” , Air. Smith entered the department as a cadet in 1903, and, after five years training in Southland, was transferred to Canterbury on promotion and in 1914 was appointed stationmaster at Corngate In 1915 he went overseas with the Canterbury Infantry Regiment, and on his return to Christchurch in 1919 resumed duty in the traffic branch. From 1927 to 1930 he was inspector of the refreshment branch and then.became wagon supply officer in the district traffic managers office at Christchurch. He was appointed stationmaster at Greymouth in 1932 and in 1933 goods agent at Christchurch. After experience in the commercial branch at Wellington he whs in 1937 promoted to assistant traffic manager at Wanganui. He then served for a year as district traffic manager at Wellington before being promoted to the position of transportation superintendent in February. 1940, at a time self to the first impact of the war. Since then the demands upon railways for transportation have been enormous, and Air. Smith’s experience, knowledge, and efficiency have been conspicuous in the successful handling of his many responsibilities.

Air. Bishop joined the department as a cadet at Dunedin in 1901 and was stationed at various places in, the Otago district, including Oamaru, Kurow, and Stirling. In 1913 lie was appointed stationmaster at AVaitati, and in 1914 assisting relieving officer at Dunedin. In the following year he was made a clerk in the district traffic manager’s office there and in 1920 was transferred to a similar position at Wanganui. In 1924 he was appointed as clerk in the head office at Wellington and in 1926 became supervising accountant in the chief accountant’s office. In 1927 he was promoted to assistant chief accountant and in 1936 was appointed chief accountant. Mr. Bishop is an associate member of the New Zealand Society of Accountants and a past president of the Civil Service Institute and Civil Service Club. He was associated with Air. H. Valentine in the financial and accounting reorganization of the Railways Department between 1924 and 1926. The mechanization of the accounting system in the Railways Department has been considerably developed by him and in recent years he. frequently has demonstrated the system to accountant societies and student. groups. Air. Bishop has been indefatigable in the social activities of the department’. and through him a considerable amount of money has been raised within the department for patriotic and other worthy causes.,

Mr. Muir entered the service of the department as a cadet in the stores branch at Hillside in 1900 and had considerable experience in various' positions in that branch before his transfer to the Comptroller of Stores office at Wellington in 1913. As a qualified accountant Mr. Muir served in several responsible positions in the Comptroller’s office till his appointment as stores audit inspector in 1925. He was selected as one of the four members of the special committee which was appointed in 1925 to reorganize the accounting system then in use in the Railways Department and he was also one of the four New Zealand railways officers who attended the first conference of New .Zealand and Australian administrative and executive officers held in Sydney in 1926. In 1928 he became chief clerk in the Comptroller of Stores office, and in 1933 was promoted to Assistant Comptroller of Stores. He was appointed Comptroller of Stores in 1938. During the war. the difficulty of obtaining essential supplies and the uncertainty of shipping have made Mr. Muir's duties particularly trying and his perspicuity, foresight, and able control of the stores situation are in no small measure responsible for the satisfactory manner in which the department is meeting its obligations.