OBITUARY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 12 November 1912, Page 5

OBITUARY

MR J. K. LOGAN, 1.5.0, Mr D. K. Logan, solicitor, of ALasterton, received a cablo on Sunday Announcing the death of his fatliet, ■Mr James Kennedy Logan, at Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Tho doceased, who was sixty-nino years of age and ex-Superintendent of Electric Tolegraplis, left New Zealand oomo months ago on a health-recruit-ing trip, accompanied by Miss Logan. He had visited the States and Vancouver, and had gone on to South Africa, where lie has a married daughter living. Mr Logan, who retired a few years ago, was a native of West Kilbridge, Ayrshire. He joined the British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company's service in Paisley in 1856, and was telegraphist and officer in •charge at various towns in Scotland, including Edinburgh and Glasgow, until leaving for New Zealand. Mr Logan arrived in Dunedin in September, ISO-I, and reading in the newspapers that tho Government was starting the erection of telegraph lines between Dunedin and Invercargill, for a position. He obtained a position on the line, and his colonial education started in a lineman's camp where! there were twenty-six ox-diggers and sailors. Speaking at a complimentary gathering tendered him in July, 1909, by the Wellington post and telegraph staff, in honour of his boing .created a member of the Imperial Service Order, Mr Logan said he recollected May 25th, 1865, when telegraphic communication was opened with Christchurch and Invercargill. He •had helped to put up tho pole and the wire leading iiit-o the office. Later he accepted a position as telegraph inspector to erect a telegraph lino for the Provincial Government from Milton to Queonstown. The progress of the telegraphic extension was comparatively slow until 1878, when tho telephone era commenced. Tho first pair of telephones, made from drawings in tho Scientific American, • were tried in Wellington, and proved a success. The second pair were brought into uso by Girgill and Anderson in February, 1878, from Roxburgh to their station, six miles away. The next stage was the opening., of the telephone exchanges with primitive switchboards and earth circuits. Time rolled on, and finally there came the "singlo battery." Mr Logan was appointed Superintendent for the Dominion on January Ist, 1894. Tho Imperial Service Order was bestowed upon him in recognition of his long and faithful service to the Stato, in 1909.