CHIEF TELEGRAPH ENGINEER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 194, 6 May 1918, Page 4

CHIEF TELEGRAPH ENGINEER

RETIRES FROM GOVERNMENT SERVICE. After '44 years' service Mr. J. Orchiston has tendered his resignation as Chief Telegraph Engineer of New Zealand, a position he has occupied with conspicuous ability since January, 1911. Mr. Orchiston ontored the service as a cadet on January 15, 1874, and underwent his preliminary training in the old gallory in Wellington long sinco demolished. His promotion was rapid, for on April 1— two and a. half months _ after entering the service—ho was appointed officer in charge at Hawora, then a littlo village of thirty-three houses, with a blockhouse in tho centre, in which some of the residents used to sleep out of fear of raiding Maoris. In November, 1877, he was transferred to tho engineering branch in the Wellington district, and, proving apt, became an acting sub-inspector in 1879, and the, following year was appointed sub-inspector of the. Auckland district. Whilst in that position he devised and supervised tho electric lighting of the Thames Post Office-tho first ofnee to be so lighted in the Dominion. This was managed with tho aid of a Pelton wheel (that tapped tho county water-race) which drove a small motor. About the same time (1890) Mr. Orchiston suggested a sclieme to tho Government by which the Thames and surrounding district could be economically served with hydroelectric power. His idea was to dam or throw a weir across the Kauaoranga River, about thrco miles up, and so form a. reservoir about 2000 acres in extent, and with the power derived from ,tho outlet to supply tho Thames with electricity. Tho scheino was submitted to the Mines Department (when Mr. J. Gordon was Inspector of Mines), and the latter reported against it on the' score of cost. Suoh a scheino is still possible, and wore it carried out would not only provido olectricat energy for the Thames, but there would bo power to spare for uso on the rich and now fairly thickly populated Hauraki Plains. In 1891 Mr. Orchiston was appointed inspector for tho Otago district, whero ho designed and supervised a great deal of valuable work. His designation was changed from inspector to engineer in 190 G. On the retirement of Mr. J. K. Logan, in January, 1911, Mr. Orchiston was appointed Chief Engineer for New Zealand.

Mr. Orchiston has always taken tho liveliest, interest in the development of water power for electrical purposes. Indeed, ho may lie said to be one of tho pioneers of tho utilisation of hydro-elec-tric power for light and industrial purposes in Now Zealand. Whilst engineer for tho Otago district ho gave tho matter a good deal of attention. In 1906 ha saw tho possibilities of the Bowen Falls as a great source of supply in an ideal position. The following year ho explored tho locality thoroughly, measured the flow, and gauged the difficulties that would have to bo overcome. In 1910 Mr. G. M. Thomson, member for Dunedin, mentioned the matter in tho House of Representatives, and in tho following year Mr. Orchiston communicated with tho Hon. Sir James Allen with reference to tho possibilities of tho Bowen Falls. Recently ho has advocated allowing a syndicate the wator rights for the manufacture.of nitrates and carbide (on a royalty basis) rather than let. tho power tuu to waste year after year. !3o far the Government lias not intimated its intention of preventing the waste in the future either through its own activities or thoso of private enterprise. Mr. Orchiston is also an enthusiastic botanist, and it was ov>;Hig to his endeavours that tho interesting plantation of native flora was established on tho hills round Wellington wireless station.