40 YEARS’ SERVICE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 144, 4 June 1935, Page 4

40 YEARS’ SERVICE

Napier P.O. Official Retiring This week will see the retirement of Mr J. McGrath, senior supervisor of the telegraph department, Napier. Mr McGrath, who is in charge of the operating room and telephone exchange, has been in tho service over 40 years. Mr McGrath was born at Thames, but was educated at Christchurch and the Bluff and it was at tho latter place where he joined the service as a cadet. He was later stationed at Invercargill as a cadet, following which he went to Dunedin as a telegraphist. While at Dunedin, ho was promoted to supervisor and officer in charge of the telephone exchange. His next post was as supervisor of the telegraph department at Christchurch, but ho was transferred back to Dunedin for Exhibition year. Later ho was appointed supervisor at Blenheim, and at tho time of tho Hawke’s Bay earthquake in 1931, ho was transferred to Napier. Mr McGrath, who is a highly popular member of the service, has been prominent in musical circles in tho various centres in which ho has been stationed, particularly in Dunedin and Christchurch. He is tho possessor of a, rich buss voice, and was for a long period bass soloist at St. Joseph's Cathedral, Dunedin. lie is a member of the Napier Savage Club. Mr McGrath's successor will bo Mr M. Kiley, of Auckland, who is to take over on Friday.