Representative on B.P.C. retires

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32486, 22 December 1970, Page 16

Representative on B.P.C. retires

“The career of Mr R. B. Tennent in the service of New Zealand agriculture has spanned the last half century, during which he has made a notable contribution to farming progress in several spheres,” the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Carter) said this week.

Mr Tennent, a former Dir-ector-General of Agriculture, will retire on January 31 after 12 years service as New Zealand representative on the boards of the British Phosphate Commission and the Christmas Island Phosphate Commission. Mr Carter said that Mr Tennent had emigrated at the age of 16 years to Queensland from Scotland. He worked on farms and saved enough to take a course at Gatton Agricultural College. On the outbreak of World War I he joined the Australian Forces, was commissioned and served in France.

While awaiting repatriation to Australia, he took a national diplbma in dairying 1

at the West of Scotland Agricultural College. After returning to Queensland, he went to New Zealand as an instructor in Agriculture in Otago. Mr Tennent became director of the fields division (now the farm advisory division). From 1943 to 1957 he served as Assistant Director-General and later as Director-General of Agriculture. He was awarded the C.B.E. in 1959 for his services to agriculture.

"Mr Tennent was appointed New Zealand Phosphate Commissioner in April, 1958, during his last year as Direc-tor-General of Agriculture,” said the Minister.