A VACANT OFFICE

Southland Times, Issue 19311, 1 August 1924, Page 6

A VACANT OFFICE

CHIEF ELECTRICAL ENGINEER. On several occasions during the past few years the Hon. J. G. Coates (Minister of Public Works) has expressed the opinion that the time must eventually come when the electrical branch will be separated from the civil branch of the Public Works Department, and reorganised as a separate department. The reasons advanced in favour of the separation have been that the development of hydro-elec trie al schemes in the Dominion has reached the stage at which it has become too big a matter to be under the control of what is merely a branch of the Public Works Department. In some quarters the opinion is held that the Government may now take steps to separate the branch and constitute it as a Hydro-Elec-trical Department, entirely apart from the civil branch of the Public Works Department. Meanwhile there is a fair amount of speculation as to who is likely to be appointed to succeed the late Mr Lawrence Birks as Chief Government Electrical Engineer. Mr F. T. M. Kissel is acting in that capacity, and it is thought that he will receive the appointment, but it is possible that the Government may decide to call for applications for the position before making the appointment.