Popular P. And T. Officer Retires

Northern Advocate, 8 March 1947, Page 2

Popular P. And T. Officer Retires

After 40 years of service with the Post and Telegraph Department, Mr J. A, Pawelka, of Whangarei, retires this month.

At a ceremony at the Chief Post Office yesterday afternoon he was presented with a fireside chair on behalf of the staff of the branch. Several officers spoke in glowing terms of Mr Pawelka’s record, and a number of telegrams were read.

"He is one of the finest men I have met," said the postmaster (Mr R. E. Sissons). I hope he will reap the benefit of a well-earned retirement." ' Mr Pawelka commenced work at Kimbolton as a message boy. ' That was in December, 1907. Two years laier he was appointed to the permanent staff and became a telegraph cadet at Wanganui. He joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force early in 1915 and on his return from active service in 1919 resumed duty at Wanganui as a telegraphist. In 1920 he was transferred to Samoa and after spending a year there went back to Wanganui. Immediately after the disastrous Napier earthquake of 1931, Mr Pawelka was transferred to Hawke’s Bay in a relieving capacity. He came to Whangarei in 1935. Upon his retirement he will live at Parua Bay.