AN OLD PUBLIC SERVANT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2132, 25 April 1914, Page 5

AN OLD PUBLIC SERVANT

RETIREMENT OF MB. R. EVATT. The officers of the Bepftrtme.tii of Agriculture .met Mr. R. Evatt yesterday in order to say good-bye to Mm 011 Ms ToUrement fiom the Service o.n ■superannuation. Jfr, iwws one of tho small band of Civil Servants who f formed the nucleus as Members of the stock branch of tho Colonial Secretary's ■ Department' of tho present Department :of Agriculture, Industries, and Com- : werte, and with, his retirement tho last of the original members of the Department has passed from active service. ■ Tho stock branch jn question came into ; being in. the year 1573. Mr. Evatt being ' transferred from the Railway Depart- ; meiit, which he joined three years before. The fareweT! gathering yesterday was thoroughly representative, and was presided over by tho Secretary of Agrictiltoo (Mr. V. S. Pope). Many kind tilings were said of Mr, Evatt and of his long; nnsT honourable service in tho Department- both by Mr. Pope aiid several other speakers representing the various divisions of the Service, and Mr. Pope read a number of ines* sages from officers in different parts of tlio Dominion expressive of admiration i'or Mr. Evatt awl .rear# at his retirement. A .substantial chcmio was Landed io Mr. Evatt as 'a mo* mento. _ In thanking the officers for. their presentation, Mr. Evatt. briefly sketched the. history of the Department, lintl sai* it. was a'keen wrenfili to him to leave the Department hi which he ha.s spent tho greater part of his life, and in winch he has nw&O so many friends. Cheers tterft given for both Mr. and Sits. Evatt.