M.E.D. head to retire

Press, 2 August 1983, Page 9

M.E.D. head to retire

Mr J. H. Donald, general manager of the Christchurch Municipal Electricity Department, will retire later this year. He joined the M.E.D. as a junior clerk 46 years ago. The City Council will try to find a successor by the end of September. Mr Donald’s retirement was announced at a public utilities committee meeting yesterday. His length of service, taking into account the senior positions he had held for many years, was “prob-

ably unrivalled,” said the General Manager and Town Clerk, Mr J. H. Gray. Before becoming the M.E.D. head in 1978, Mr Donald had been the department’s accountant and secretary since 1959. He joined the M.E.D. in 1937, after being educated at Christchurch Boys’ High School. After his war service, he studied accountacny and became a member of the Society of Accountants. He became the M.E.D.’s

assistant accountant in 1955. Mr Donald is a former president of the Secretaries’ Association of the Electrical Supply Authorities Association. Mr Gray said that Mr Donald was “universally respected” throughout the City Council. He used his experience and wisdom on issues “in a gentlemanly way,” he said. That manner held respect for the views of others while containing an underlying firmness, said Mr Gray. Cr Lester, the committee chairman, said that Mr Donald was “always pleasant” Mr Donald will retire at the Christmas break, after the present electricity tariff review process is completed.