DISTINGUISHED CAREER

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 143, 19 June 1931, Page 9

DISTINGUISHED CAREER

MR. W. R. DAVIDSON.

RETIRES:

A varied ajid 'distinguished . railway

career extending over 33 years, cover- j ing almost every district in. the system, j was concluded recently when Mr, OT.-K. Davidson, M.lnst.C.E., Assistant Chief !-Engineer, retired on superannuation. Joining the'service in 1898 as a drafting cadet in the signal and'electrical engineer's office, Mr. Davidson•- was transferred on. completing his" cadetship to the district engineer's roffico at Christehurch, from which position ho was transferred-to. "Wangaiiui in 1905. While thorp Mr. .Davidson, qualified Jis associate member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and became assistant engineer. Among the "works with which ho was associated a'fthis"ti"me were the Wanganui deviation, and-thc New...P.lymouth deviation.. --.Both • of:. these .improvements had. the. effect of removing the railway from; busy streets in. the' town, and in the case of New Plymouth what was then the most dangerous level crossing in Now Zealand,, that at Devon street, ' was ' eliminated,..substantial bridges being erected- at. all street crossings on the new'route. .•• ■' ' . " - After a period in the. district engineer's office, Wellington, Mr. Davidson was in 1010. appointed to. the' position of assistant engineer, Dun cdin,-and was engaged under Mr.1 H. Macandrew, dis; trict engineer, on the completion of'the Duuedin-Mosgicl duplication.: In. 1914 Mr. Davidson was transferred .to Christchurch, and in collaboration .with .Mr. W. P. Williams, then district. . traffic manager, prepared a .valuable .report on traffic requirements and facilities at Christchurch.. In 10.21 hc.:was:■transferred to Auckland,.and tfhe following: year became- district engineer, at Ohakune; From this.-,time-, his:-advancement:: was very rapid.--/In 1024 he became inspecting engineer, and thonext year was .pro? motcd to assistant chief engineer; and was- sent abroad -to report on railway facilities :in other countries. On his return he acted as chief engineer during the absence abroad of Mr. E. C. AViddop, MJnst.C.E., the following year. In 1927 Mr. Davidson became member of the Institution of Civil: Engineers^ : .'Subsequently;- he lias rendered valuable service to the Department in connection with the layout and designs for the .■Auckland-and Wellington how1 passenger stations, in collaboration with the chief engineer and architects. ■ .:,.. ; . \:...---. .:.,•.,■::■:.:-;.

A 1 arge'gathering,;of. the.,chief, engineer 's staff m'6t'tV^aro'wel.rMi%'"iyavid-; son on the • occasidli of his and Mr.'R-.-G*.' Widdop,'chief engineer^ in expressing rpgrqt-that Mr. Davidson was severing his connection... Avith...the Department, .assurcOiiW,tUl af : in-. leaving the ■s'orvijjb'.ili.o '.carric^-withV^imJtUe best wishes, of the "'officers "of -the maintonanee branch;v...ori'i behalf 'of "'the staff, he .asked' Mr. Davidson 'to accept a Zeiss camera in .t'oiien of esteem, and goodwill of :the .engiiieeniig .branch, and in memory of !tlie.uniformly cordial relations 'that" had"always subsisted. b.<*.'. tween them. ;i' ... "'.- " ■'.■■'■:■ :■..„

He was supported by Mr. A..S. WaMSborongh, designing engineer, Mr...';.' A.' Howitt, chief draftsman,; and Mr. P.' B. Bryden. "".". ;!;.'.!!!'.;.:!! . "!/:";. .' '.. ,! t -;!,'-;-. ■■■--"■ Mr. Davidsoiijiri reply, fegrottpa that ho was severing his connection with the Department in which he had spent so many happy years and had formed many friendships which he valued. Ho had been associated with all. the chief-engineers who had held tho office, all of-whom : had maintained the highest traditionsofthe profession. Ho valued the expressions of goodwill from his brother. officers,' and thanked them fpr. : their gift. Al-. ■though no: longer in1 harness lie -would always take" a keen interest in the...con-- ' tinned welfare and progress of the New Zealand railway system: