AFTER FORTY YEARS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9613, 20 March 1917, Page 8

AFTER FORTY YEARS

RETIREMENT up AlEj W. P. MoGIRR. CHIEF OVERSEER OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. At the end of the present month Mr W. p. AlcGirr, chief overseer at the Government Printing Office, i 6 to retire on superannuation after 40 years of continuous service. Mr McGirr, who has had a very active career', and is one of the best-known printers in Wellington, if not in the Dominion as a whole, was born in Victoria in 1859, and received his initial education at the Model School, Melbourne. Afterwards ha went with his family to Adelaide, and then migrated to New Zealand, settling in the Thames in 1868. He went to the Karaka Creek School there, and one of his schoolmates was the present Minister for Alunitions (the Hon. A. M. Myers). He left for Clutha, Otago, in 1872, in which year his father started the Balclutha "Leader,” and it was there that Air McGirr first learnt the printing business. Mr McGirr spent six months on the Christchurch “Press,” and then came on to Wellington, entering the Government Printing Office in March. 1877, under the late Mr George Didsbury. He has remained in the Government establishment ever since, gradually working his way up to the position he now holds. As showing tho high esteem in which he is held by his fellow-printers it may be stated that for fifteen years in succession he was elected to the honourable position of "father of the chapel." In 1890 he married Aliss Hodge, a member of a well-known Wairarapa family. Air AlcGirr, in his jounger days, took a prominent part jn Labour matters, particularly the Eight-hour Day movement. He was a member of the Trades Council an.d various political leagues. For three and a-half years he was presi. dent of the Typographical Society, and it was largely due to him that that body succeeded in keeping out of the big maritime strike of 1890. Later ho was for five years secretary of the Typographical Society. Mr MclGirr was a great cricketer, and for about fifteen years represented the Wellington Province in various matches. He captained the Wellington team for five years. He now devotes himself to bowls, and is a skin of the Seatoun Club. Air McGirr has been granted three months' leave of absence on full pay, and it is his intention to take a trip to Australia.