Watches Presented For Long Service To Firm

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30880, 13 October 1965, Page 8

Watches Presented For Long Service To Firm

A Christchurch shoe manufacturing company. Suckling Brothers, Ltd., made presentations to 26 staff members with aggregate service of 834 years.

The company’s managingdirector (Mr R. T. Doig) presented watches to five women employees and 21 men who have served the company for more than 25 years each. The man with the longest service to receive an award is Mr P. A. Lye, who worked for Suckling’s for more than 57 years before his retirement in 1956. Mr Lye, now 81, is the son of one of the first employees of Suckling’s, who began making shoes in Christchurch about 100 years ago. Mr Lye began with the firm in 1899 on an apprentice’s wage of 2s 6d a week and was

earning just over £1 a week when he completed his time in 1905. His nearest rival in service is Mr 11. C McPherson with more than 43 years. The average length of service of those who received awards is 32 years. Mr Doig said he believed there were few manufacturers of comparable size in NewZealand who could claim that almost 50 per cent of their staff had worked for them continuously for more than 10 years. There would be even fewer with 26 staff members continuously employed for more than 25 years.