A POPULAR OFFICER

Evening Star, Issue 20310, 19 October 1929, Page 2

A POPULAR OFFICER

MR A. DOWNER FAREWELLED [Pbb United Peess Association.! WELLINGTON, October 19. A large attendance of members of the staffs of both the district office and the head office of the Public Works Department yesterday farcwellod Mr A. Downer, until recently in charge of the Tawa Flat deviation works, who has accepted the offer of a position with Messrs Hansford, Mills, and Co. at a much better salary. The Chief _ District Engineer (Mr Ronayne) said they were sorry they had lost such a very capable officer. Mr Furkert expressed the hope that Mr Downer would be as well treated in the fresh fields he was seeking as he had been iii the Public Works Department. He said it seemed to be the fate of the Public Works Department to be the training ground for men in other organisations. He did not admit that all the good men left the department— (laughter)—but there had been so many. One was a professor at Canterbury College, and there was Mr Thomas, of the City Council staff, Mr Kemp, now engineer and manager of a ; power board, Mr, Wilson engineer of the Waiteniata Power Board, and a number of others. It was evidently recognised that the men in the Public Works Department were good ones. Mr Furkert then presented Mr Downer with a handsome clock on behalf of the staffs of both branches of the department.