OFFICERS RETIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 306, 26 December 1940, Page 9

OFFICERS RETIRE.

IN RAILWAYS SERVICE.

END OF YEAR CHANGES

Two high executives of the Railway Department. Mr. H. Valentine, second assistant-general manager, and Mr. A. W. Wellsted, commercial manager, will retire on isupcrannuation at the end of this year. Both have a long record of service with the Department.

Mr. Valentin-e's retirement was deferred from last January to enable him to complete special work in connection with the acquisition of road services on which he was engaged. He joined the Department as a cadet in 1898, at Dunedin. In 1920 he was appointed to the staff of the chief accountant's office in Wellington, and in 1924 became audit inspector. Eight months later he succeeded to the oflice of chief accountant, and in 198(5 was appointed to the position he has held for the past four years. A Fellow of the Xew Zealand .Societv of Accountants.

ho was president of the society in 1934-35.

Mr. Welsterl has been commercial manager for seven years. .Forty years in the service of the Department, except for a break of three yeare when he was overseas with the Xew Zealand Expeditionary Force, he also traces his career back to Dunedin. where he held his first appointment. While in trie army he rose to the rank of captain and was mentioned in dispatches. Widely known as a railway servant, he has held positions at Ohakune, Wellington, Wanganui and Auckland. In 1932 he was promoted to senior business agent, and shortly afterwards became chief clerk to the commercial manager at Wellington, rising a few months later to the position he has since occupied.