AN IDEAL SECRETARY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 94, 22 April 1931, Page 11

AN IDEAL SECRETARY

MR. G. L STEWART

FAREWELLED BY BOARD

.-.Tributes .to. the work of.- Mr. .G. Li Stewart, .who-is retiring from the position'of secretary to the Wellington .Education Board,-an. office hyenas held.for twenty-seven .years, were, paid at a moeting of the board to-day.

Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, were entertained at morning tea by the board. .Mr. T.Forsytlv (chairman, of the board) said lie did not think tho occasion should be one for sadness. They were assembled to say "good-bye" • officially to Mr. Stewart, who had held tho position of secretary for very many years. ITe had been associated with Mr. Stewart" for' a long - time, their acquaintance having commenced in their school days in Dunedin, and that friendship had. lasted ever siuce. Iv Mr. Stewart the board had an ideal secretary. (Hear, hear.) .He possessed all the' qualities that went to mako a sec-, retary. Ho had nover studied himself; ho had boon loyal, and his • enthusiasm was an .example to all. Mr. Fprsyth said he did not know of one occasion upon which he and Mr. Stewart had had a violent disagreement. During the tim*o Mr. Stewart had" been secretary, he had negotiated for the acquisition of properties, and he had saved the board, the Department, and the country thousands of pounds in those negotiations.. It said a lot for his business capacity that he was able to carry out those -negotiations .in a nice' manner. His devotion to duty, was well known. He could talk nothing else but board matters,'and he had been available at all hours of the day and night. One could leave a matter in his hands knowing that it would bo well and faithfully done. Now Mr. Stewart and. the, board were, at th 6 parting of th c ways, Mr. Forsyth wished both Mr. and Mrs. Stewart a well-earned rest and long life and prosperity. On behalf of the board ho expressed appreciation of Mr. Stewart's long and faithful service to the board, and presented him with a framed picture. .. Mrs. Stewart was presented -with a bouquet. Mr. A.'C. Blake expressed tho teachers' appreciation of Mr. Stewart. His tact had been helpful in settling matters between tho teachers and the board.

Others who eulogised Mr. Stewart were Messrs. A. Donald, P. Eobertson, A. W. Jlutchings, J. Stonehouse, C. 11. Nicholls, T>. M'Callum, ,W. D. Pike, T. Wade, W. V. Dyer, A. Williams, Dr. M'llraith (Senior Inspector), and Mr. E. y. Hylton, who spoke on behalf of the staff, MR. STEWART'S REPLY. Keplying, Mr. Stewart said that words could, not adequately express his feelings of gratitude for what had been said. It was true that he had endeavoured to serve faithfully without fear or favour, and he had never consciously swerved from tho promise ,made to the board twenty-seven years ago, when he said that lie would always have tho interests of the board at heart and he would endeavour to preserve its dignity. Ho had always found pleasure in his work, which had for its ultimate object the training of young citizens. He was passionately fond of children and ho had always loved his work because that was the subject of it. He had always found that the board had had the most friendly attitude. He -was grateful to the staff. The board pos- | scssed a staff that had served them with absolute fidelity.

Referring to tho great progress that had'been' made by.lho board's district during his term of ' office, he quoted figures showing how tho district lias expanded. In tho following particulars,' the first-mentioned figures refer to the Wellington and Marlborough districts as they were in 1904, and tho figures mentioned in the second case.showed the position to-day:—Schools, 212, 247; roll, 17,828, 28,210; average attendance, 15,----090, 25,941; teachers,. 378 and 100; pupil teachers, 814 and 65 "probationers; salaries, under £46200, £210,186; maintenance of buildings, under £6401, £21,049; receipts, £77408, £ £61,599; balances, £1001, £6631. Mr. Stewart also detailed tho various improvements in. the educational system; the introduction of free places, institution of manual training classes, and tho development of "special" classes. Incidentally, he remarked that the year ho, joined the board the first agriculture instructor was appointed to tho board. The outstanding feature had been the growth of the urban population, and there had been an improvement in the training of teachers. He also paid a tribute to the work of school committees, and commented favourably on tho manner in; which they had discharged their duties. In conclusion, he expressed his thanks to the inspectorate, and to the Education administrative officers of tho Dominion.

"I have done," he said, "arid I thank you, Mr. Chairman, tho members of the board, and the staff."