MR. A. V. PENN RETIRE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 393, 29 June 1928, Page 12

MR. A. V. PENN RETIRE

r°m a nce y o F * GGUn , 44 YEARS IN CUSTOMS “Romance died out of • a very long time ago and"L U9Bh ''* only form of it defected £ tricking of rev-enue h documents." "'«*"» >F In his 44 years- service with toms Department Mr \ y p t f retires from the position 4; ’ at Auckland to-morrow ... any bis adventures with srmfmw, he remembers when the Hawk* 65 ins ship patrolled the e-as-s a **fany running-in. Wtrea One of the crack steamers , day. the Orient brought Mr JW his parents to Melbourne ana came to Taranaki by the old hana in ISSI. "ototm. When he joined the Customs lw men at Auckland as a cadet i the offices were on the Se of post office in Shortland Street o! * three main officers were Mr T° *• Hill, collector Mr. Dutrald McK^r* 5 landing surveyor, and Captain" Tw 4 -'- Many old salts will remember one of the vaults of the buildi n r*? a collection of old firearms eited 5- - department for breaches of remihm Later the offices were shifted to'?' upper floor of Firth s bond Albert Street. * For 20 years Mr. Penn was emoW.i by the department in Napier wlw, ton. Dunedin, Christchurch and iw" mouth, returning to Auckland in as landing surveyor. In 1525 he ceeded Mr. J. P. Ridings as —»-. at Auckland. GROWTH OF REVENUE According to Mr. Penn, the cur™, revenue in Auckland in ISS4 was 0? sixth of its present amount. headed the Dominion's list of recev with Auckland in second place i„ ‘Jc "eighties” nearly ail the manufacture! products imported to New ZeahaS were supplied by Britain. In his cadetship Mr. Penn remember, that the officers were dealing moss, with sailing ships, although the direct steamers from England were ginning to arrive. A speedy st-oinw service was maintained between Atrei. land and Frisco via Sydney. Representatives of the Customho*. agents of the city met Mr. Penn y«. terday and presented the retiring ct. cer and his wife with a silver tea aiM coffee service, and travelling trunk aij Mr. F. W. Best, president of tbt Agents’ Association, and Mr ciaufe Colebrook praised Mr. Penn’s countsand efficiency.