POST OFFICE

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 232, 29 June 1939, Page 10

POST OFFICE

Administrative Heads Appointed

DIRECTOR-GENERAL

Mr. J. G. Young Succeeds

Mr. McNamara

Several executive appointments in the Post and telegraph Department were announced last evening by the Postmaster-General, Mr. Jones. Mr. J. G. Young, deputy directorgeneral, has been appointed to the position of director-general in place of Mr. G. McNamara, who recently retired on superannuation. Mr. W. R. Newall, second deputy director-general, is appointed to the position of deputy director-general in succession to Mr. Young. The following are appointed to the position of divisional director. General Post Office: —

Mr. S. A. Ogilvie, divisional principal. General Post Office. _ Mr. L. L. Hills, chief inspector and principal, -staff division. Genera! Post Office.

Mr. J. Madden, chief postmaster. Wellington.

Mr. Young's Career.

Mr. Young has a service record of unusual interest, aud also tlie distinction of having risen from the bottom of tlie departmental list to the top. Initiated early into the telegraphic operating work at Invercargill after his appointment in Winton in 1902, Mr. Young served in tlie telegraph office in Wellington for three years, and for another two years in Napier. He next became clerical assistant to the chief postmaster nt Timaru.

The outbreak of war in 1914 inter-,l-upted his career. lie joined up and left New Zealand with tlie 6th Reinforcement of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force for Egypt and Gallipoli. The western front was his next sphere of service, with increasing responsibility for tlie provision and maintenance of communications between the headquarters of the New Zealand Division and the fighting forces in the trendies. .. He wou mention in dispatches. Return to Dominion. During his active service, Mr. Young worked up from the ranks to a captaincy. . He returned to New Zealand iu 1919, taking up his old duties as senior telegraphist at Greymouth, though promotion as au inspector came soon. Becoming senior inspector in 1933, three years’ service in this capacity led to appointment as one of the administrative officers of tlie General Post Office, in the position of deputy chief inspector. The tour through New Zealand of the Duke of Gloucester in 1934-35 gave the future director-general another new experience in his varied departmental career. The Post Office was responsible for transport and communication services for tlie Royal entourage. Mr. Young was given charge of flic organization and accompanied the party to make all tlie arrangements, which included file use of aeroplanes to provide prompt connexions for. all overseas mail arrivals aud dispatches. Further administrative responsibility came early in 1937. when Mr. Young was appointed second deputy director. This was tlie prelude to very rapid advancement, for on November 1 of tlie following year he succeeded to (lie position of deputy director-gen-eral. on the retirement of Mr. F. J. Shanks. Mr. Newall’s Record. Mr. Newall joined’tlie department in Dunedin in the year 1901. Later he was appointed telegraph cadet, in Balclutha. In 1915 he was appointed chief clerk to the telegraph engineer in Napier. In 1919 he joined tlie staff of the chief engineer. General Post Office. Wellington. In 1930 Mr. Newall was appointed to tlie then new position of commercial manager, aud in that capacity was entrusted with tlie work of organizing and establishing that branch of departmental activity. He was later a member of a special committee set up to examine telegraph and toll rates. During recent years Mr. Newall Ims occupied the position of divisional principal in the General Post Office, and in that capacity has exercised direction of tlie telegraph, telephone and radio services. Mr. Ogilvie’s Career. Mr. Ogilvie, divisional director, com menced his service in tlie Post and Telegraph Department in 1906 in Timaru, and, after experience as a telegraphist, lie became principal of the postal division of the G.P.O. in October, 1034. One of tlie duties of his office was the direction of tlie very active building extension policy of tlie department, which lie will continue to supervise. Mr. Ogilvie has held tlie position of vice-president of tlie Post and Telegraph Employees’ Association, and Ims also been tlie elected service representative on tlie departmental Telegrapl Appeal Board. Career of Mr. Hills. Mr. Hills joined the postal service in Hokitika and was for six years postmaster at Ross. Transferred to Wellington in 1921, he was in 1924 given tlie responsibility of organizing tlie Public Service garage system. He then became staff inspector on die G.P.O. staff, occupying flint position till liis appointment as principal of the staff division in 1932. To these duties were added those of chief inspector in April, 1937, ami Mr. Hills will con tinue to carry out this work and also

control the staff division of the G.P.O. He was for several years vice-president of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Association, and was one of the original members of the executive of that organization. He was the elected service representative on the promotion board for more than six years, and has had considerable experience as departmental representative before, the Post and Telegraph Appeal Board. Mr. Madden’s Post. Mr. Madden, who relinquishes the position of chief postmaster, Wellington, to become a divisional director began his departmental career as a cadet in Dunedin in 1901. In 1922 he became supervisor in charge of the parcels branch at the Chief Post Office, Wellington. Early in 1926 he became superinten dent of mails in the same office, and was transferred to fill a similar position in Auckland in the following November. Deputy chief postmaster, Auckland, in 1931, Mr. Madden became a chief postmaster in the follow ing year, taking charge of the Wauga nni district. In 1934 Mr. Madden took the position of chief postmaster, Dunedin, and he came to Wellington iu the same capacity in January, 1936. He has recently attended the Convention of the International Postal Union-at Buenos Aires as New Zealand’s representative, and is now on his return journey, being due to arrive at Auckland next month.