REGISTRAR RETIRES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19207, 26 December 1936, Page 4

REGISTRAR RETIRES

MR. WILLIAM JOHNSTON A UCKLANDERS’ FAREWELL EX -G IS BORNE 0 FFIGER Many Gisborne professional men and sporting enthusiasts of the older genera tion will, note with interest that Mr. William Johnston, district Jaml registrar at Auckland for the past 10 years, has retired at the close of 45 years’ service with the Lands and Deeds Department. The occasion of his retirement was marked by a gathering of fellow-officers in Auckland and of many of those with whom Mr. Johnston had come in close contact during his stay in the northern city, the retiring officer receiving presentations of an engrossed address of farewell and a handsome crystal tantalus. Prior to his transfer to Auckland 10 years ago, Mr. Johnston was for several

years district land registrar at Napier, where he entered the service as a cadetin his youth. He was known also in Christchurch and Gisborne, having attained the rank of assistant district land registrar at Christchurch and then come to Gisborne as assistant to the then registrar here, Mr. R. N. Jones. The latter was also registrar of the Tairawhiti Maori Land'Board and Judge of the Native Land Court, and Mr. Johnston had ample opportunity to develop his talent for the specialised work of his department. Mr. Johnston was married in Gisborne to a Napier lady then engaged in business here, and was a leading figure in sporting circles, being .best remembered, perhaps, as an enthusiastic member of the Gisborne Rowing Club. Ho retained a close connection with his old friends in this district throughout his subsequent service in Napier, where he went as district land registrar, and at Auckland. He was regarded as an outstanding member of the Land and Deeds Department, and was endowed with exceptional physical vigour and a most prepossessing personality. Mr. Johnston was one of a number of State officers formerly connected with the Gisborne Land and Deeds office prior to the Great War, who have since risen to high positions in the service. Mr. J. A. Fraser, who was assistant registrar here, is now registrar at Invercargill. Mr. E. C. Adams, registrar at Nelson, is another former Gisborne officer, and Mr. W. E. (Mahaki) Brown, registrar at Hokitika, and Mr. W. Mcßride, assistant registrar at Blenheim, are also ofThe pre-war staff at Gisborne, and well remembered here. The registrar under whom they served in Gisborne tsubsequently became Chief Judge of the Native Land Court, and joined a small group of officers who had occupied outstanding positions, this group including Mr. Thos. Brook, Valuer-General, Mr. W. E. Broderick, Under-Secretary for Lands, Mr. P. Verschaffelt, Public Service Commissioner, and one or two others whose early careers included service in Gisborne-