VETERAN ENGINEER RESIGNS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17780, 13 May 1921, Page 6

VETERAN ENGINEER RESIGNS.

MB. A. DUDLEY DOBSON'S BECORD.

Mr. A- Dudley Dobson, engineer to the Christchurch City Council for the past 20 years, has tendered his resignation of the position, «juch resignation to take effect in three months' time. In his letter to the council, Mr.* Dobson said:—" After 20 years' service, during which I had the satisfaction of constructing the destructor. with its first installa tion of electric light and power, the high-pressure water supply, utilising the artesian waters comprising 150 miles of mains, and many miles of tar macadam streets, and numerous other small works, I fee-Tit desirable. I should undertake less strenuous works"

The council accepted the resignation ■with regret, and decided to empower the Departmental Committee to. take steps toward recognising Mr. Dobson's services. Mr. Dobson was one of the pioneers who came to Canterbury in the first four ships over 70 years ago. Landing from the ship Cressy when a boy, he was educated at Christ's College, and served an invaluable pupilage with his father, particularlv in connection with the construction of" the Lyttelton TunneL In 1863 ha undertook a contract to survey and explore the west coast from the Grey ißiver to Abot Head, aud while trying to get his horses through to the west coast he discovered the pass into the Otira which was named after him —Arthur's Pass. Mr. Dobson's early surveying work linked his name inseparablv with the Canterbury, Nelson and West Coast provinces, and his experiences of ' moving acc-dents by flood and field" cover some of the most stirring incident* of the early days.