Popular P&T Faultman, Mr S. E. Boyd Retires

Northern Advocate, 15 January 1948, Page 6

Popular P&T Faultman, Mr S. E. Boyd Retires

AFTER 30 years’ service with the Whangarei Post and Telegraph Department, during which time he drove from 300,000 to 400,000 miles without being responsible for one accident, Mr S. E. Boyd, of 77 Maunu Road, Whangarei, retired on superannuation on December 31.

Mr Boyd, formerly faultman on the lines staff, drove 10 different types of trucks during his service, and the last, which he took over when new, registered 10,120 miles when he drove it into the line yard for the last time. Mr Boyd was involved in only one accident in 30 years’ driving. This was when a car ran into his truck and kept going.

from Mr C. G. Pryor, the telegraph engineer, who made the presentation on behalf of the Post and Telegraph staff.

Speakers at the farewell included the overseer of the line branch (Mr J. Boucher), the line foreman (Mr R. H. Flaveli), Mr Pryor, and the chief technician (Mr L. G. Stevenson).

Mr Boyd joined the Post and Telegraph Department as a temporary linesman in 1916. His first job away from the Whangarei office saw him a" camp cook at Mangapai and W'aikiekie. Mr Boyd was later promoted to installing foreman and, in 1923, to line foreman in charge of 10 men. He held this position for two and a half years until his appointment as faultman in 1925, a position he held until his retirement. HOSPITABLE PEOPLE While line foreman, Mr Boyd constructed the main line between Whangarei and Waipu, and between Whangarei and Tangiteroria. The first line he built was between Whangarei and Onerahi, which will have to be largely altered when the new highway is completed. “I have not carried lunch for 10 years,” said Mr Boyd, when talking of the hospitality of people with whom he came in contact while locating and repairing faults. ;‘I used to take it but brought it home so often that I knocked off.” He misses his roving occupation as he now sees his friends less often.

Mr Boyd’s longest drive was 126 miles in a day when he was locating faults in the Mangawai and Maungaturoto areas. The average day s mileage was between 50 and 60. ENTERTAINMENT ON JOB While on jobs which required camping out. Mr Boyd’s gang formed a Soccer team in the winter and a cricket team in the summer. Two of the Soccer players in the gang later became representatives. One. Mr Booth, won North Island honours, and the other. Mr Jock McCulloch, of Whangarei. represented Northland.

While Mr Boyd, as line foreman, was on a camping job at Maungatapero, he and his gang ran dances thoie and were able to donate £6O towards the building of the Maungatapore 1 oat Office. . At a farewell function held at ttie line shed in Bust Lane on December 16. Mr Boyd received a wristlet watc.i