MR FERGUSON'S RESIGNATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8866, 29 October 1907, Page 5

MR FERGUSON'S RESIGNATION.

A WARM DISCUSSION. "ACCEPTED WITH REGRET." By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, October 28. Mr W. Ferguson's resignation of the position of secretary and engineer to the Wellington Harbour Board was considered by the board in committee this afternoon. It was decided "That the resignation of Mr Ferguson be accepted with regret, and that the committee regrets to learn from Mr Ferguson that he is unable to negotiate for a continuance of his services, and desires to place on record its sense of the extreme value of such services to the port of~Weliiflg—- - ton during the past twenty-three and a half years. Further, that the :ommittee recommends to the board that an agreement be entered into with Mr Ferguson, he having indicated his willingness to agree to the same, that the services of Mr Ferguson as secretary and engineer terminate on the Ist of November, 1908, that he be granted six months' leave of absence from May Ist, 1908, and that he for a period of five years from May Ist, 1908, act as consulting , engineer to the Board, if arrange- '. ments can be made by him to that effect, his fee as consulting engineer to be £SOO per annum, such > sum to cover the whole of the rej numeration of Mr Ferguson for such [ consulting services." Speeches were made by members appreciative of Mr Ferguson's long and valuable services. There was some warmth shown during the discussion in reference to the circumstance that led up to the resignation, namely, the Chairman's recent ruling that the Secretary could not take part in discussions at board meetings without the unanimous consent ot members present. Mr Ferguson has accepted the position of enigneer to the Wellington Gas Company at a salary of £1,500 '. per annum, with liberty to take private practice.