MARINE INSTITUTE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20039, 22 September 1930, Page 11

MARINE INSTITUTE.

JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS. [THB PBDBS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, September 21. It was in an atmosphere of reminiscence that the New Zealand Institute of Marine and Power Engineers held ita annual smoke concert on Saturday evening. Opportunity was also taken to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the Institute, of which the chairman, Mr P. Mackenzie, gave a brief outline since its inception. During the evening four members ot ihe engine-room staff ot the lahiti— Messrs. Thompson, Waring, Fraser and Brown- (electrician)were each prebented with a badge or the society as tokens of appreciation of their meritorious services in the unfortunate vessel. After welcoming the guests the chairman gave a brief outline of the history of the Society from its foundation in Melbourne in December, 1880. The first branches were established in Melbourne, Sydney, Port Adelaide, Dunedin, Auckland, and Wellington At the close of the first year the total funds of all the districts amounted to £lO5 19s 7d. To-day they totalled C 51.495. Tho first secretary of the Wellington branch was Mr James Henshilwood, of the Lion Foundry, nnd the first president Mr William Clarke, chief engineer of the Jane Douglas, a staunch little vessel which came to grief on the OUura bar 15 years ago. In 1924, he said, at a conference held in Sydney, it was decided that New Zealand should hare home rule so far as the Institute was concerned, as it was found that many of the New Zealand maritime laws were in conflict with the Australian- laws. Since that time the Auckland and Wellington branches had managed their own affairs by a council composed of two members from each branch and presided over by an independent chairman.

Tn proposing the toast ot "Our Guests," Mr A. Basire sketched the development of the engineering industry, and drew a comparison between the engii*eering of to-day and that of 30 years ago. Other toasts honoured were "The Engineering Industry," "The Merchant Service," and "The Institute."