60 YEARS OF SERVICE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25082, 14 January 1947, Page 8

60 YEARS OF SERVICE

MR GEORGE D. ANGUS RETIRES LONG ASSOCIATION WITH PRESS COMPANY After 60 years’ service with the Christchurch Press Company, Ltd., Mr George Angus has retired. Mr Angus began work in the bindery department in 1886, his first job being on the “Weekly Press.” He has been associated with the same department for the whole of his 60 years’ service, and has worked under eight managers. He was appointed head of the bindery department in 1918, and held the position until his recent retirement. When he started work all the folding was done by hand, and by comparison with modern methods, it entailed a considerable amount of work. Soon after he joined the staff he had to work “all hours” to help to get out the big edition covering the Tarawera eruptions. The next big edition Mr Angus recalled was for the relief of Mafeking in the Boer War. When he began, his pay was 5s a week, with 4d an hour overtime. News was brought from outside centres by carrier pigeon, the company having about 20 birds. Descendants of the original 20 lived on the premises in Cashel street for many years afterwards. Folding the papers was a slow process—if the total was 15G0 in an hour the staff was doing well. Mr Angus was also associated with “The Telegraph,” an evening paper later named “Truth,” “The Evening News” and “The Press” as well as the “Weekly Press.” Setting was all done by hand, the various departments working by kerosene lamp, and later gas light. Delivery was done by foot, and sometimes by horse and cart. When electric light was first introduced, it was very glaring indeed, and Mr

Angus recalled that he had to wear his hat while on duty to shield his eyes. Mr Angus was closely associated with the racing and trotting clubs for many years. First he helped with the tickets for the manually operated totalisator for the Canterbury Jockey Club. After the Julius automatic totalisator had been installed, Mr Angus was appointed race card distributor for the club, an office he also held for the Metropolitan Trotting Club and the New Brighton Trotting Club, until 1946.

Early Christchurch The pride felt by owners of hansom cabs and four-wheelers was recalled by Mr Angus, who said that they made a great sight in the old days as they raced down to the railway station. He remembered the first bicycles and the first motor-cars in Christchurch, and the horse trams. Later the steam trams were introduced, and these were followed by the present electric cars. Cathedral square presented a very different appearance when horses were the chief means of locomotion and the streets were lit by kerosene lamps. After arriving from Aberdeen in 1858-1859. Mr Angus's father was one of Christchurch’s first city councillors. He had a well-known saddlery establishment in Cashel street. Mr Angus’s E resent home is in Matheson’s road, inwoodt the name being derived, Mr Angus said, from the Matheson Agency sinking the first well in Christchurch, in the vicinity. . . Asked what hobbies he intended to follow in his retirement, Mr Angus said that he was fond of gardening and might take up bowls. He expected. however, to have a “quiet and happy time.”