F. W. FURKERT

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1932, Page 8

F. W. FURKERT

SERVICES'. EUGOLISE-D,

ON RETIRING FROM OFFICE

WELLINGTON, November 4

A warm triouue to the outstanding qualities of Mr F. W. Furkert, retiring Under-Secretary and Engineer- n- : Chief, Public Works Department, was paid to-day, wiien the - head office staff, together with the Ministers and fojrnier Minister of the 'Cr&tvn, also administrative officers cf Depart-, meats,- assembled to bid him a formal ? farewell. The guest of honour, was | accompanied‘by Mrs Furkert, who waspresented with a bouquet of spring lioaers: •• •' Mr C. J. McKenzie, the nen'ly-ajp* pointed Under Secretary, who presided, said the size of the assembly showed the affection and esteem in which Mr Furkert was held by all in and associated with the Department. “A REMARKABLE MAN.” 1 “I*am proud to have been associated with, a remarkable, man// said the •Rit. Hon. J. G. Coates. .“’Born and bred in New Zealand, Mr Furkert, by sheer determination, rose to -the top of the tree. There are those who scoff at tradition, but this Department has' traditions to be proud of, and no figure in it lias contributed to' its traditipns in greater degree than the gentleman to whom we are saying au revbh’.” • b

Mri Coates, said he felt utterly incapable of conveying to the people of New .Zealand a full appreeiaton of thi attributes; possessed by. Mr Fprkert. When he (Mr Coates) first became asjociated wit. the Department, -its ex- : penditure. was well under £2,000,000,' md‘he did not detract from any or Mr Furkerfs ■ predecessors when he said it was Mr Furkert who galvanisea the Department in coping with the years cjf expansion and progress that had followed. As tilnei Went on ana the people of • tbo/! Dominion, looked batik’ on what had been accomplished •would real se that the pidheeringwork done by Mr Furkert and'lns associates had been well and. faithfully carried out. j/-,

On behalf of the staff of the Depart, ment fthrotighout. No.W Zealand, Mr Contes presented to Mr Furkc.'t « magnificent grandfathei dock in oaken case >vith an inscribed- silver plate, ajso a pocket wallet and a fountain pen with a propelling pencil to match

. The Hon. C. E. Macmillan, Messrs K.. ,s; .Williams,' M. F., A. E. Jull, M.P., F. T. M. Kissel, and J. Mair also added their tributes. GUEST’S REILLY ' After thanking the staff of the Department for the gifts with which- he had been presented, .Mr Furkert said fchgt during his service'of nearly -39, r/ears he hadiseen the Department »row to eight tiro s .its size when he joined it. It was not pleasant to see it begin to shrink, '?.nd lie hoped that ill considering, further economies the Government would remember that a spending Department was the first to f e cl the axe, and tha ; t the efficient officers in it merited equal consideration with the officers.of other Departments. The jiinxjrnd lie had tried to fpllow were-,- “Whatever you put - your hand to do, do it with all your might,” and “Do not ask a man to’ do , t -anything yiu cannot da yourself, or would not have a. good try at doing.”