RAILWAYMEN FOR 40 YEARS

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28047, 15 August 1956, Page 18

RAILWAYMEN FOR 40 YEARS

GREYMOUTII OFFICERS TO RETIRE Two officers of the New Zealand Railways Department at Greymouth, who joined the department on the same day 40 years ago, will retire on Monday. They are Mr R. B. Turnbull, I who has been stationmaster at Greymouth for the last two years, and Mr J Sinclair, relieving inspecting officer for the Canterbury district, who has been at Greymouth for six months. Mr Turnbull, who started as a cadet at Maheno. says he does not look on it I as a retirement but as the completion • of his contract with the department. : The West Coast could have no more ardent advocate than Mr Turnbull. “I I had always heard a lot about the Coast, but, apart from one or two brief visits. I had not had the opportunity nf meeting the people and viewing the scenery until my appointment here two years ago,” he said. “The weather about which we hear so much elsewhere. is far from being unpleasant. As a matter of fabt. both my wife and I myself have found the climate most j suitable. It is mild, you don’t get a i lot of wind, and the sunny days are I beautifully clear. I “In comparison with other parts of i New Zealand. I would say the climate l is more than favourable. You may ! rest assured that both my wife and | myself will be good advance agents, | and will miss no opportunity of expounding the good qualifies o* the West Coast.” added Mr Turnbull. i After his first three months with • the Railways Department at Maheno. i ! Mr Turnbull was transferred to . Kurow. From Kurow. Mr Tu’nhu’i | -erved at various places in the Otago j district. During the influenza epidemic ■ after World War I. he was transferred to Auckland. By this time. Mr Turn- . . bull had become a clerk and spent some i i time in the general manager’s office I in before returning south Mr Turnbull was stationmaster at I Pleasant Point for eight and a half I years, and then served for some time Ij in the District Traffic Manager’s . j Officer at Dunedin. Later he became i j staff officer for the southern traffic

district which covers all territory south of the Waitaki River. He next held a similar position at Christchurch from which he was appointed to Greymouth as stationmaster. “Although some of my moves have not been welcome at the time. I have profited by the experience and have made very many friends in the various localities.” said "Mr Turnbull. “I think that by moving about one’s outlook becomes broadened. “In my position as staff officer, I havn had occasion to transfer men to the West Coast, and. in lots of cases, have met with considerable opposition. But. when the time came to transfer the -ame men away from the Coast, it was a different story. There have been a few exceptions, of course, but nearly every railwayman who has lived there will say that the Coast has a lot to commend it.” Mr Turnbull plans to live in Dunedin, and. after a holiday, hopes to make himself useful to the community. He is keen on golf, bowling and miniature rifle shooting, and hopes to be able to devote more time to these sports in future. No successor to Mr Turnbull has yet been aopointed. and the position will be filled temporarily by Mr W. Martin. traffic inspector for the Canterbury district. Satationmaster at 50 Places Mr Sinclair, has worked in every district in New Zealand, and has acted as stationmaster at 50 different stations in the course of his relieving duties. After starting as a cadet at Napier, he became relieving cadet in the Wellington district, and has been on the move almost ever since. Mr Sinclair’s longest stay in one place was at Lyttelton, where, for 13 years, he worked in various capacities, including the office of bureau manager As a clerk before his marriage, he was continually moving about, with the result that his varied exoerience has taken him to every station between Auckland and Ranfurly. In addition to his relief work. Mr Sinclair was stationmaster at Reefton for 18 months in 1953-54. and was also assistant stationmaster at Christchurch. As his father was a railwayman at ; the Greymouth workshops, Mr Sinclair , had an early insight into the depart - ment's affairs. He went to school at ■ Taylorville and Cobden, and when his father was transferred to Napier he joined the department. Mr Sinclair was an enthusiastic Rugby player in his younger days and ihe played halfback for the Pirates : team in Napier He is now a keen I bowler and intends taking an active interest in the sport when he settles in Christchurch after a holiday with his wife.