New Chairman Of Lincoln College Board Appointed

Press, Volume C, Issue 29415, 18 January 1961, Page 3

New Chairman Of Lincoln College Board Appointed

Mr T. D. J. Holderness, of Motukarara, was elected chairman of tile board of governors of Canterbury Agricultural College at the annual meeting of the board at Lincoln yesterday. He replaces Mr W. H. Gillespie, chairman of the board for the last 10 years, who recently gave notice of his intention to resign from the board because of his duties as Minister of Agriculture in the new Government. Mr A. Henderson was elected deputy-chairman. The former deputy chairman, Mr C. Hilgendorf, also gave notice recently of his intended resignation because of his appointment to the University Grants Committee. Mr Hilgendorf served for four years on the board as deputy-chairman. The new chairman, Mr Holderness, was appointed to the board of governors in 1951. He is a farmer at Gebbies Valley. He attended Lincoln College in 1938 and 1939. and was a Nuffield farming scholar a few years ago. Mention of the big part which the Canterbury Agricultural College has played in agricultural affairs not only in

the province but throughout the whole of New Zealand was made by Mr Gillespie before vacating the chair. He said that during his term as chairman, board members had "rallied round” and had always given their full support. He thanked members for their contribution to the life of the college and the part the college had played in the country’s agriculture. “Today is a sad day for me. I have enjoyed my term of office very much and it has always given me satisfaction to be able to play some part in the activities of the college,” said Mr Gillespie. “Noone around this table has had an axe to grind and this factor has made for the good working of the board.

“Everyone has come here with the one objective to work for the good of the college and its people and to make a contribution to the economy of the country through the college’s activities,” Mr Gillespie said. He expressed the wish that the members’ terms of office would be “pleasant and very successful” in the years that lay ahead. Mr Gillespie Congratulated Mr Holderness expressed the board’s congratulations and pleasure at Mr Gillespie’s appointment as a Cabinet Minister. and regret at his having to resign from the college board. “He has always been a tireless worker in the interests of this college and to agriculture generally,” he said. Mr Holderness also paid tribute to Mr Hilgendorf, who, he said, would have been promoted to chairman of the board “in the natural course of events.” He said the University Grants Committee would benefit immeasurably from Mr Hilgendorf’s clear thinking and practical knowledge of a wide variety of matters.

Both Mr Gillespie's and Mr Hilgendorf’s resignations from the board were received by the meeting with regret.