GOOD FOR YEARS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 117, 19 May 1924, Page 4

GOOD FOR YEARS.

STATIONMASTER RETIRING. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") CHRISTCHTJRCH, this day. Mr. J. W. Woodbury, stationmaster at Christchnrch eince December, 1919, will retire upon superannuation on June 1 under the much-criticised 40 years' service rule. Mr. Woodbury was 13 years of age when he joined the railway service. He is now 53, and is known to hundreds, even thousands, of regular travellers as a highly efficient officer, whose retirement will be a real loss to the service. Beginning as a cadet at Southbridge, where his parents lived, Mr. Woodbury served at St. Andrews and Sefton, and then became booking clerk at Lyttelton, where he was tioned for seven years. He was next at Amberley, Lyttelton, again, and then was made etationmaster at .Paeroa. Nine years later he was transferred to Longburn, and then to Ohakune, and then, after nearly 20 years in the North Island, he was made chief clerk at Ashburton. After a year on the Canterbury relieving staff he spent three years as stationmaster at Masterton, whence he was transferred to Christchurch. During the strike this year Mr. Woodbury did the work of half a dozen men, and was largely responsible for the success of the skeleton train service showing clearly that he has by no means reached the time of life when a man. may fairly retire. He intends to remain in Christchurcli after giving up his duties. °