OBITUARY Mr F.W. Furkert

Grey River Argus, 27 September 1949, Page 4

OBITUARY Mr F.W. Furkert

R.A. WELLINGTON Sept 26. Mr Frederick William Furkert, a Wellington City Councillor, and former chief engineer and under-secre-tary of the Works Department, died in hospital tonight. Mr Furkert, who was 72 years old, had been in hospital for many weeks. Mr Furkert was born at Ross and was educated at the Hokitika District High School, Wellington College and Otago University. He served with the Works Department for 39 years, rising to be head of the department befcre his retirement in 1932. His services with the Works Department brought him in clcse association with large projects in New Zealand, such as the main trunk railway, the Otago irrigation scheme, the Otira tunnel, and the Mangahao, Arapuni, and Waikaremoana hydro-eletcric works, also the Tawa Flat railway deviation.

A former president of the New Zealand Institute of Civil Engineers, Mr Furkert recently gave £5OO to found a scholarship in engineering. Mr Furkert held the decorations of Companion of St. Michael and St. George, awarded in 1926; and the Order of the Brilliant Star, a Chinese award, made in 1947.