OFFICIAL FAREWELLED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 10, 3 September 1931, Page 3

OFFICIAL FAREWELLED

mr f. c. widbop RETIRES from railway WELLINGTON, Wed. Mr F. C. Widdop, Chief Engineer >f the Railway Department, retired '.o-day on completlon of 40 years' service, and there was a gathering of jxecutive heads of the ' department n the Railway Board's room, to bid him farewell. The General Manager, Mr H. H. Sterling, presided and rtated that Mr Widdop was leaving with a record to his credit that earned the admiration of all. His term with the service dated from his boyhood. He had grown up with it and had passed through the various grades to his present position, which he was leaving with a fund of experience and knowledge. The fact that they were running fast passenger trains throughout the night without accident was a tribute to the branch and its head, which having regard to the safety of the public, left nothing to chance. In reply. Mr Widdop said he had seen the railway service grow from a small thmg to a big one.'' When he joined in 1891 the total revenue was a little over £1,000,000 and the annual exnendlture £706,000.

Last year the revenue was £8,000,000 and the expenditure £7,000,000. In 1891 there were 1869. miles of traek now there are 3399 miles. The expenditure and maintenanee in 1891-92 was £245,000, in 1930 it was £1,800,000. It was considered that the track maintenanee in New Zealand was very high. That was largely due to the intelligenee and the education possessed by the men, a strong contrast to the men employed in some foreign raihvays. Mr. Widdop was presented with a lamp stand and. shade and a travelling* rug ori behalf of the staff.