THE NEW VALUER GENERAL

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21226, 26 July 1934, Page 18

THE NEW VALUER GENERAL

MR W. STEWART

HONOURED GUEST AT COMPLIMENTARY luncheon Congratulations on his appointment as Valuer-General were extended to Mr W. Stewart by members o£ the Selwyn Plantation Board at a, complimentary luncheon held at Ballan--1 vncs yesterday. Mr Stewart has been Commissioner of Crown Lands at Christchurch tor the last eight years, und during thai time has also been chairman of the Plantation Boar'. Mr Stewart, who will leave for Wellington on Monday to take up his new office, was presented with a travelling rug from members in appreciation of hi:--, work with them. In addition to members of the board there were present Mr G. Witte, a foundation member, Mr G. H. Buchanan, the board's solicitor, and Mr C. O. S. Ellis, chief draughtsman of the Lands and Survey Department. Mr Godfrey Hall, of Hororata, expressed regret at the loss the board was sustaining in the departure of Mr •Stewart. He felt that members couli riot let Mr Stewart go away without :-a> ing how much they had appreciated him as chairman for the last eight years. When he was appointed Commissioner cJ. Crown Lands at Chnstchureh his department had been very busy, but he had taken the additional responsibility ably. He had dene very sound work and had given the board his best service. "Well-Earned Promotion" He was «lad to know that Mr Stewart's application to his duties had given h ; m a very well-earned promotion. The position to which he had been appointed was very responsible, but he was sure his ability was such that he would do his new work with distirction. Owing to the capability of the men ♦ o whom the work of the board had been entrusted it had been possible to improve the plantations greatly. The purpose of the board had been mainly to provide shelter, but owing ta the soundness of the management the board had been able to make a profit from its operations. It was indeed fortunate that the board had never been trouble' financially. He wished Mr Stewart the best of luck in Wellington, and called on Mr It. Nairn, the only member who had been on the original board, to make the presentation. "I do not think Mr Hall has used one superfluous word in his remarks about Mr Stewart." said Mr Nairn. "Mr Stewart's departure was inevitable. It has been coming for some considerable time because the ability he has shown in his work has qualified him for his promotion. The Government has made no mistake in selecting him for this position. He has guided the destinies of the board ably." Value of Experience " .Vhen I came here I had very little knowledge of the work," sail Mr Stewart, after expressing regret at tlie severance of his relations with the bor.rd. "But my training with the boj-rd gave me the wide outlook, which, I think, has had a great deal to do with my promotion." Promotion to-day, he thought, was being based by the Government on the amount of experience a man had had, airi he was deeply grateful to the members of the board for their generous help in making him familiar with conditions in the province and the work generally. t ihe class of work the board was acmg was going to be very useful and he consi ered that its operations might become far-reaching. There was going to be a lot more control exercised by local bodies; they would do work extending far beyond their present Fccpe, and the board would be useful in this connexion. Extension of Control r l he plantations had originally been for shelter, but now they had com-rre'-cial uses. Later, however, they iT'ight be extended further into the back country for protection. Such extensions could only be managed with a system of long-term control, which only bodies like the board could give, individual control was impossible. Continuity of purpose was a feature of trie boar:t, and there were some present who had been members for 10 to 12 years. He was glad that his training had be|.nn as it had. He started with the purvey Department, he said, and famed experience among the men out in the country, swagging, track-cut-iing, bush cutting, and doing similar jcos. -This, he was convinced, was the ang'' "l believe that the board has a great -u.ure, he concluded, "and I am glad •o have been associated with it. It <ias, I think, progressed during the -ime I have been associate! with it. ! , 1S 9® ve . lo Ping as the needs arise arid with its present staffing and the type of work it is doing, it will be to object lesson for other bodies." • r ,p' Wolfe thanked Mr Stewart on TWrrf H, thc u . Springston Domain Board, with which Mr Stewart had been connected. Mr Stewart had always borne more than his fair share rL. , w ° rk , ; ind had given a great dial of valuable advice. The control exercised by Mr Stewart oyer the affairs of the Plantation Board was praised by Mr W. P. Snen«r, who said that Mr Stewart's thorough grip of the activities of the boar s had been remarkable. He was certain Mr Stewart would go even further in the service.