TREASURER RETIRES

Evening Star, Issue 25633, 6 November 1945, Page 8

TREASURER RETIRES

CITY COUNCIL'S TRIBUTE

Tributes to the service rendered the city by Mr H. H. Henderson, who is retiring after 35 years in the office of city treasurer, were paid by the Mayor (Mr D. C. Cameron) and councillors at the fortnightly meeting of the City Council last night. Mr Henderson’s long service was claimed as a. record by the Mayor, while he doubted if any other municipal body had been better or more faithfully served. The council adjourned to hold the ceremony, and Mr Henderson was the guest at supper.

Since his appointment in 1910, Mr Henderson had seen the amalgamation of several adjoining boroughs with the city, said Mr Cameron. In that period also the city revenue bad increased from £303,000 to the present total of £1,276,663. There were two highlights of Mr Henderson’s career that would remain as landmarks in municipal history in New Zealand. In 1922 he had instituted municipal borrowing on the local market, instead of obtaining the funds from London as was customary, and the success of the experiment had instituted what was now a recognised practice. In 1934 Mr Henderson had succeeded in converting oyer £2,000,000 of corporation debentures, the largest conversion operation in New Zealand municipal history. It was as a man, however, that Mr Henderson would be remembered, added Mr Cameron, for his exceptional courtesy to everybody' had ensured his retaining the esteem and goodwill of the citv. • The Mayor’s remarks were endorsed by Crs W. B. Taverner and L. J. Ireland, while, at the request of Mr Cameron, the town clerk (Mr R. A. Johnston) briefly attested to the ready assistance and co-operation that Mr Henderson had consistently extended to the corporation departments. As a departmental head lie had served under 15 Mayors of Dunedin, and over 100 councillors, said Mr Henderson, who stated that he had always appreciated the responsibilities of the position of city treasurer. He reviewed various changes that had occurred in the administration of his department since 1910, dealing in particular with the council’s decision to. carry its own fire and accident insurance, the reorganisation of the sinking funds, and the loan policy. The city’s loans were now on an excellent basis, he considered, and sinking funds in operation ensured the repayment of all loans on maturity.