FORESTRY DIRECTOR

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 160, 1 April 1939, Page 9

FORESTRY DIRECTOR

Mr. A. R. Entrican Appointed TIMBER RESEARCH WORK The appointment of Mr. A. IL Entrican, A.A.S.E., A.M.1.C.E., engineer in forest products, State Forest Service, as Director of Forestry, was announced yesterday by the Commissioner of State Forests, Mr. Langstone. He succeeds Mr. A. D. McGavock, who has retired after 40 years’ service. Mr, Entrican joined the State Forest Service at its inception in March, 1921, as engineer in forest products to undertake supervision of. research activities in timber and allied products. Under his charge there has been built up a store of exact information pertaining to the production and utilization of both the native and exotic timbers, the work comparing in quality and scope with that undertaken in many of the important foreign timberproducing countries. The practical realities arising out of this research work have been the establishment of modern dry kiln facilities throughout the country and the universal adoption of the uniform grading system for building timbers. Mr. Entrican has continued to hold the designation of engineer in forest products up to the pressent, but his duties have since expanded to include the supervision of all timber matters connected with the State Forest Service.

For many years he has acted as liaison officer between the department and the sawmilling industry, and during his service he has made several official visits to Australia and also to North America and Europe for the purpose of expanding export markets and securing the latest information regarding manufacturing and production methods of the sawmilling and the pulp and paper industries. As evidence of the confidence placed in Mr. Entrican two of his visits abroad were made at the request and expense of commercial timber interests.

Weekend Kadio Programmes appear on page 2 of second section.

In addition to his usual duties Mr. Entrican has filled numerous and important positions in connexion with various Government activities. He has acted as chairman of the Government Timber Price Committee since its inception, as chairman of the timber committee of the New Zealand Standards and he is also advisory officer to the New Zealand Dairy Board in its administration of the butter-box pool. Mr. Entrican has passed the civil engineering examinations of the School of Engineering, Auckland University College, and of the Institute of Civil Engineers, London, of which he is an associate member. He is also a member of the New Zealand Institute of Foresters, Swedish Forestry Society, the American Society of Testing Materials, and the American Wood Preservers’ Association.