HARBOR BOARD ENGINEER’S APPOINTMENT.

Poverty Bay Independent, Volume I, Issue 14, 6 June 1885, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD ENGINEER’S APPOINTMENT.

A special meeting of the Harbor Board was held on Saturday last, for the purpose of considering the appointment of an Engineer and to read the Committee report on the loan. There was a full attendance, and, on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. DeLautour, the Board resolved itself into committee. At the conclusion of the sitting it was announced that Mr. John Thomson, B. E , had been appointed at a salary of £BOO a year, the engagement to be terminable at any t>me the Board found itself unable to proceed with the work. Mr. John Thomson after having served a five years apprenticeship at sea entered Queen’s College, Belfast, as a student of Civil engineering in October, 1868, and obtained the degree of B. E., in 1871. During his undergraduate course he obtained prizes in geometrical drawing, Chemistry, Natural Philosophy Applied, and in office work. In June 1871, he obtained the “ Coates’ Prize, value awarded in the Department of Engineering—to the best candidate in a set of examinations held in the third term of each session, conprising :—Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Office and field work, natural Philosophy Applied, Analytical Chemistry, Geology, and Mathematics. His first appointment was to the Engineer’s office of the Belfast Harbor Board, where he remained for upwards of six years, in the capacity of assistant Engineer being engaged in work of considerable magnitude both Marine and Land, in all of which he received the highest credit. In 1877 he came to New Zealand and was employed by the Public Works Depratment to survey and report on the Patea River and to prepare plans and estimates in connection with the same. In December of the same year he was engaged by the Patea Harbor Board until 1881 to carry out a portion of the work as modified on the recommendation of Sir John Coode, and gave the utmost satisfaction. He was next engaged by the Waitara Harbor Board, and up to a late date has been employed as consulting engineer on New Plymouth Breakwater. Altogether, taking Mr. Thomson’s, credentials as a guide, we have every reason to congratulate ourselves upon securing the services of such a competent engineer.