ENGINEER TO RETIRE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 271, 31 October 1932, Page 11

ENGINEER TO RETIRE

FORTY YEARS’ SERVICE, MR. J. E. W. McENNIS’ CAREER. Whangarei, Oet. 29. Mr. John Edward Walpole McEnnis, district engineer, Public Works Department, Whangarei, and chairman of tho No. 1 District Highway Council, stated to-day that he will retire on March 81, 1933, after completing 40 years’ service in the Public Service. He will hand over his duties on November 30 to Mr. R. H. P. Ronayne, district engineer, Wellington, and proceed on four months’ leave of absence. Mr. McEnnis joined the Public Works Department as engineering cadet in 1893, and was connected with the construction of the railway link between Eketahuna and Woodville. From 1895 to 1897 he was assistantengineer on the Midland Railway and for the next three years was engaged on railway survey, Napier to Gisborne. For six years Mr. McEnnis was engaged on the Main Trunk railway, when a large programme was undertaken, the chief works being the construction of the spiral and the Makatote viaduct. In 1906 Mr. McEnnis was promoted resident engineer at Cheviot, and two years late he was in charge of construction on the North Auckland Main Trunk railway, Wayby to Kaiwaka. When the Road Department was amalgomated with the Public Works in 1908, Mf. McEnnis was sent as first district engineer in charge of the North Auckland district at Whangarei. From 1912 to 1915 he acted as district engineer in Otago, where many railway works were completed, and a commencement was made with irrigation schemes. The following five years were spent in Christchurch, and in 1920 Mr. McEnnis returned to Whangarei as district engineer. Since the inauguration of the main highway system in 1924 Mr. McEnnis has been chairman of No. 1 District Highway Council. Mr. McEnnis has always taken a great interest .in tho advancement of the North, and is very optimistic as to its future.