LONG SERVICE

Hokitika Guardian, 6 January 1933, Page 2

LONG SERVICE

1 MR E. J. GUINESS RETIRES. .. WELLINGTON, • January 4. i After more than 40 years’ service in; the Railways Department, Mr E. J. Guineas has retired from the position of Controller of. Stores. T'he purchase ,and issue of stocks of materials for the whole of the New Zealand railway system, with an average turnover of something approaching £3,000,000 a year, was under his direction. Mr Guiness, who is New Zealand born, first entered the Stores Department of the New Zealand Railways in June, 18D2, at : "Wellington, and after 10 years’ experience in various officeswas transferred to Addington, Christchurch, as senior clerk for tho store district there. After three years he was in charge, but two years later he was transferred back to Wellington to take charge of the shipping end of the stores branch. He was next appointed contracts clerk, which meant that he was responsible for all contracts for supplies and service. His next promotion was to the position of chief clerk of the branch in 1917, and in 1921 he succeeded Mr H. Baxter as Controller of Stores, which office ho held right up to the time of his retirement. Since 1909 he has been concerned with, and since 1921 in actual charge of, the Department’s bush sawmilling industry. In 1925 the complete reorganisation of the New Zealand stores system was decided upon, an undertaking involving Mr Guiness'in an immense task. During, the war period Mr Guiness was responsible for very heavy purchases of materials for the maintenance of the military camps and other military services. 'Since 1925 he has directed the purchase and issue of coal for all the New Zealand railway services and in that period has given special attention, to increasing the consumption of New Zealand coal to the exclusion of imported coal, the position to-day being, that the railways of the Dominion are run on 100 per cent. New Zealand coal.