PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEER RETIRES

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LX, Issue 10945, 21 October 1932, Page 3

PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEER RETIRES

Mr Furkert on Superannuation. AVAILABLE AS ADVISER. Welington, Oct. 20. The retirement on superannuation of Mr F. W. Furkert from the position of Engineer-in-Chief and Un-der-Secretary of the Public Works Department was announced today. The retirement is effective from the end of the month.

Mr Furkert has had 38 J years’ service and has been head of the department since 1920. His services will continues to be available to the Government in an advisory capacity. A scheme for the reorganisation of the department is being planned, and it is understood that Mr Furkert’s retirement will facilitate the changes contemplated. It seems likely that Mr C. J. McKenzie, assistant engineer-in-chief, will succeed Mr Furkert. However, his length of service is only three years’ short of Mr Furkert’s term, and it is believed the ultimate intention is to have the head of the department a non-technical administrator.

The intimation given this morning that Mr Furkert’s retirement was pending prompted Mr D. G. Sullivan (Labour —Avon) to ask an urgent question in the House of Representatives to-day. He asked the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, whether he could say whether the report was correct, and if Mr T. B. Strong, Director of Education, was also retiring. If so, would the Prime Minister say whether the retirements of those officers were voluntary or otherwise.

Mr Forbes replied that he had been notified that the question was to be asked only a quarter of an hour before the House met and he had not had an opportunity to consult the Ministers in charge of the departments concerned. He asked that the question be put on the Order Paper. It was learned later that Mr Forbes had made that request in view' of the nature of that part of the question referring to Mr Strong.