ENGINEERS' INSTITUTE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 748, 22 February 1910, Page 9

ENGINEERS' INSTITUTE.

OFAREWELL;TO MR. D. M'CAIO.^; VThe Wellington ,branoh : ;of'.tlie~ Aiistra-. lasian, -Institute - ', Marino ■Engineers tendered';;.- a ■'." cbinplimentary luncheon;- to ■Mr.' David; irCaig,;:late .superintendent 'engineer, if. the. Union Company} in "Aiis-, iralia,> at .the Institute Eooms, on ■ Saturday. :■',■ The' chair was 'occupied' by; Mr. Ji;: Darling, of. -'the - Wellington branch,.;who.:presided;:oTer' a. large ;and representative, gathering;';of .engineers.. Apologies ■ for non-attendance were. Tβceived. from the Hon.' Qeo. Fowlds;\Mr. J; P.'-Liike, and several other meniber6. ,;Mr..D. Eobevtson considered ..that: the fact that Mr! M'Coig had. spent his yrhole: life..'amongst them and had been : thus honoured on ' : - his -retirement .-.was mony worth - having. - The '.best part .of' their-guest's;lifetime had been spent in ,the ser.vice;of 'the Union .Company, '.and h«-had risen,from the bottom-to the. top byi his.'own; push and capability. \;Mr.M'Caig'had commenced, his , career, as , an 'apprentice ; iii Messrs/ A. ■ and :G. Thomp.-' son's .works,' Glasgow:': He subse4uently joined v an Allan- liner as fourth. engineer,, and ..worked .up: to rthe [position, of .chief, engineer.'-.'iLaterjihe- came to ;New' Zea-: land '..in l 'the,.well-known -steamer--Roto-; mahanav'- then the -fastest' steamer, in';the. Union 'Company's .fleet,'' he was;' ini, her.'he kept .her right .up : to; ;the standard. ■ Laterj he went through, vari-i 'piis.'.pther/steamers in .the: Union Com-, pany - service until he was ; promoted"- to the responsible-, shore : position ..of Euper- , intending engirieor .in . from which-.he had. just.retired .after;.reaching, the: ag^e-limit.-'. . The young'men in the profession;could,have no■'better' object .leKon..-.';;All'fyoung...engineers were;en-: dowed.' with -hands' arid? brains,;.which, .if iprpp'erly."trained, would help'them;, up to- the ladder,;. .In *> retiring. ' after, his hard '•-. work,•■. iMr. - M'Caig hot only; -took.with';;him' r ; the! "good;, wishes ' of'.his.; employers but.: of, the. men ,with- : whom .he. had''.woried;'; He : (the. speaker) was sure everyone; would"join;with him;in : saying :"Long : -:inay i he' ! live and I6ng>may<''-he' prosper." :(Applauso.) 'In conclusion Mr. Robertson, on; behalf ;of'.:the.-.gathering," handed. llr'.'M'Caig : a :p'urse of/sovereigns.; . They.:.were ; not ; only _; honouring ,Mr. M'Caig's; ivell-earned;retirenient,- said Mr. Eobertson," but it. also happened l to be the ;65th" birthday; of .their, guest.' '.(Ap/ ";;; .- ' '■ '■'■ : ;'■.::■ '''■' '■'/ ■ ~'.':i\;' ■■ ; ;In T.eplying, Mr; M'Caig thankedtmem-; ■ bers. for, tlie, gift, and . good .'-wishes;..-. He ;had beenv'working,'.ivitn some./- of; l .the ; members 'present' for the ; past ■80 years, 7 ;ind he. had 'always'-got'-along .without'trouble,.'.which ..made.this':occasipni-.;the ;mbre ; gratifying. ; :-'He,had,taken a igood' deal "of "interest 'in; the : formation of the institute. in>lßßp,. jond;'was , 'pleased; t6.,sce'.'th'o ;grbwth it 'had-made; '::Thei' : society. had not;been;formed.to work',against';the employers,■• arid>ho -thought';its.;:historyiwpuld ; prove'; this.'. ■ -After. referrinß;, : to. the-'wbrkof the, institute'.and.its'sebre-'. ; itary..,(Mr.iHislop),,-the..speaker went.-on 1 to "say .that- he; was,- leaving. Wellington ■'that -night, :'p.nd:. would 'proceed',to: England, 'via'- Australia, :and on: his. return' : .ue : would; make his home:..in'?-Sydneyj but-'he;;looked'forwardi to .always coniT .'ing- V 6yer./and■ spending ; a.'month;or 'two in; Wellington, , :and (meeting ; old'friends in. these fine institute, rooms.;:,;.';'•" V.--";'\''' ! '-

■".' Mr., ; A: G.' Nash;'■ general ■ manager,: for : ■:ifessrs;v.Walker-;;4na./Httrtjv;Sydney;-' ; :pror-: posed "the ! toast. of ■ the; Australasian''ln-.. [efcitute: of Marine Engineers. ■, ■ Mt; Nash; 'spoke''in.'praise of.the 'excellent;'building .thOr/Welhngton'-branoh .'of'; the' : -institute •possessed. * ,Ho:'himself could;speak .personally.'of .the; Old.': Country-and , the . Continent. ■{ Ori'i'one. occasipn/i'2s ■ yeus.';'ag'o ( fsaid■.'■Mγ.' iNash; he : was travelling. ori t ja 'steamer-of which/Mr.;'MT!ajg "was chief engineer!.■' The 'vessel'touched 'bottom;' and when/the; , chief!turne'd' : round ho Baw : a-i; leg.; disappearing .'up V the :. t engine-room' ladder; ■:■ 'Ho 'caught.' that leg 'and .dragged' '.th'o'inan'.Baoli:.:. Tlie.: chief JrestoredVorder; artd>saved' the v ;'ship;:'7 (Applause'.).■■'"'.'.Mγ".' Nash' said : h'e . was : surprised-:to ' know that'thei membership" of '■'theldcaOranch of 'the' institute'.ivas;.76O;' and i.thftt" members:- conld bring' their. wives : to ■ the '-, institute,' 'the!:latter, • a''very :wise.-moye.^ , ,';v' ; .:v': i .:■':!■ l~!',[■';'■}s.:.: ';.■'! ■The" : 'chairmany; referring'; \ip ■'■ the "fact. -that'; ladies, were',VanoTred':ttf' enter : ';the ; ■'dub,-.:ffrged : '''tt in 1 '; tho'.;profession, as frequently, -an-'.en-;. gineer) iyas. only in:{>ort for. a..few- houre, and l he'could:not see.his wife and jfamily,'; •unless.he icould.meet'thein'-at. some con--'.traUplacei': , :Thei "phairijiiinliwent ofa'^.'to.: refer" to the. aids to.'educatiOnar-improvef' inehtand other advantages: of-the club. -.- '■;. Mr.; Av'E.i.Hislop, secretary'-'of ,the! Wei-.' lihgton branoh,:stated; that' when he .took 1 up -the,'secretaryship:, nineteen yearsi*!ago"-' Mr: VM'Caigi: together .'with others, - : : .'were. urging .that engineers, should , have, a/per:.: 'nianent ;home'; here.'■'./t-Tliev had 1 .-made>a' big'- step .'.forward; in; getttrigi.;theirfpre»' sentibuilding,', iind it .rtas'-hoped,'later ■-.to: but'-tnuinbir. of visitors-did\notuikethp: 'idea; of '■.paying', , nothing'.' at- a'll-;for/the. use of ithe ; club,;so 'that '• a rule hai : been, passed-.which■; -'worild , . enable visitors: who 'desired .to, have'.thei;use-of '-the! club,at a fee ? ofVlOs. ; 6'dL'per. year.■;..' .It; was-lriot .the ,half-guinea' the institute.wanted,jbut. ihe''men.-:!)'■"': - : ■■)'.!■' : -;:'-'•'■.'.'".' ; ''"--V;;'' ••• : -sV r iMr.:Lodder also spoke in' praise of Mr. M'Caig.;, Songs'were, given during- the ' afternoon i 1 by.:, Messrs.;. P,'M'Coll:.and.-'A'.. Bazire,' , .and the gathering.; concluded .with'. the singing ofS'.'Auld fl Lang. Syne"V: : ! ! .;;