AFTER 46 YEARS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 260, 28 July 1921, Page 6

AFTER 46 YEARS

RETIREMENT OF DIRECTOR OF ;; HORTICULTURE MINISTER MAKES A PRESENTATION Forty-six years in the Government service is the record of Mr. T. W. Kiyk, who recently retired, from tho position of Director of tho Horticultural Division of tho Agricultural Department. During the whole of this period Mr. Kirk filled important executive positions, and was one of the pioneer officers of tho Agricultural Department. Yesterday he was the recipient of a presentation from the officers and staff of the Department. The presentation, which took the form of a silver salver and silver jug, accompanied by a cheque for a substantial amount, was made by the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Nosworthy, in tho presence of a large gathering representative of all divisions of the Department. , In pointing to Mr. Kirk's long record m of valuable service, Mr. Nosworthy said that from 1874 to 1891 Mr. Kirk was assistant to the late Sir Janies Hector on the museum stuff. He joined the Department of Agriculture soon after its inception, Mr. J. D. Ritchie being Secretary of Agriculture. Mr. Kirk assisted in the general administration of the Department, and carried on most of the ; early scientific work, much of it in his private laboratory at night. He founded the biological service of the Department; also its system of publications, and supervised^its horticultural activities. In 1901 he was appointed biologist to the Department, without material change of duties. In 199 G he. was given charge of the Department’s extensive display at the Christchurch Exhibition, and in 1909. owing to the growth of the Department’s horticultural division, he was appointed its director, Mr. . Cockayne being given charge of the biology section, and an editor being appointed to look after all departmental publicaMr. Kirk retained the position of Director of tho Horticulture Division until his retirement on Juno 30 last. His total service exceeded forty-six years, tho lant twelve years being as a divisional director. The Minister went on to congratulate Mr. Kirk on the splendid work ho had done for the Department and the country generally, and added that tho whole staff regretted that tho time had come for him to sever his connection with the service. In leaving the Department, Mr. Kirk carried with him the good wishes of everybody connected with it. , It afforded him plensilre as a Minister of tho Crown, and one who was connected with the primary industries of the Dominion, to bo able to give recognition to one who had done so much in the pioneer development of the important Department with which ho had been associated. The Director-General of Agriculture, Dr. C. J. Reales, speaking as one who had been intimately associated with Mr. Kirk for a number of years, paid a high tribute to his singleness of purpose and his desire to do his best for the Department and for the Dominion. Mr. Kirk had seen the Department grow from a staff of three to the large dimensions that it n>w attained, and he (Mr. Reakes) appreciated the very valuable advice and assistance that he had given him from time to time. St Walter Buchanan also spoke ap- - preciativelv of Mr. Kirk's services to the primary industries of the Dominion,’ and said that the country should be grateful to him for the work ho had performed. ,Mr. Campbell, the new Director of the Horticultural Division, and Mr. F. S. Dope. Assistant-Director-General, endorsed the sentiments of the previous speakers. J Mr. Kirk, in reply, traced 1 the growth of the Department, and said’ that its, influence had been felt very much in 1 , connection with the development of the primary industries of New Zealand. In the early days of the Department’s history tho Government had been very lavish in assisting the development of the primary industries, particularly the dairying industry, and ho trusted that the Minister would bo able to assist some of the struggling industries more liberally than he had in the past. "I 'don't know.’’ he added, "where you are going to get the money from, but that is your trouble.” It had, he continued, teen a pride and a pleasure for him to have'been a member of the Department. There was no Department in the Pub- ' lie Service of which a man should bo more proud of having belonged to than tho Department of Agriculture. In his successor. Mr. Campbell, they had a man who would be very hard to beat, and the Horticultural Division should progress very rapidly under his competent guidance. Cheers were given for Mr. and Mrs. KuS as the gathering dispersed.