DOMINION ENGINEERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19123, 18 September 1936, Page 3

DOMINION ENGINEERS

PRAISE BY MINISTERS WORK FOR POSTERITY (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. A largo gathering of engineers ol the Wellington district, and _ a number d visitors, including the Minister of 1 nolle Works, tho lion. H. Semple, were present at a complimejitary luncheon to Mr. C. J. .McKenzie, who retired from the position of engineer-in-chicl of the Public Works Department on account ol ill-health. Opportunity was also taken to congratulate a number of engineers who had recently been promoted to senior positions in' the Government and local bodv services.

Mr. Semple, after expressing pleasure at being able to be present at the function. said : “Particularly in these times oF almost terrifying expansion, when the world is passing through changes unprecedented in human knowledge, is the load of responsibility in measuring up new ideas that come with the new generation, heavy upon the engineer. He fs still the trail-blazer, the man upon whom the responsibility lies of seeing that progress continues, and that chaos does not come out ot expansion and change.” Mr. Semple said lie was confident that the skill of tho engineers, of the Public Works Department measured up with that of any engineers' in tho world. New Zealand could learn from other countries, but other countries could also learn something from New Zealand. The world, said the Minister, had never lived through a more dangerous epoch than that of to-day, and one safety valve for the pent-up feelings of nations was the British commonwealth of nations. “If that goes, God help the world,” said Dir. Semple. “We have to give up party politics and little things ol that kind when we come down to the protection, welfare, and security and perpetuation of the British Empire. Tho engineer lias played a major part in building the British commonwealth of nations and that responsibility he still carries to Imild further, and to build firmly.”