SIX YEARS AS CHAIRMAN

Southland Times, Issue 23828, 27 May 1939, Page 8

SIX YEARS AS CHAIRMAN

MR OTT’S WORK FOR HARBOUR BOARD TRIBUTES BY MEMBERS AT ANNUAL MEETING Reference to the efficient manner in which Mr W. A. Ott had administered the affairs of the Bluff Harbour Board during his term of office as chairman was made at the annual meeting at Bluff. Mr Ott relinquished the office after a term of six years and Mr W. J. A. McGregor was appointed chairman, for the ensuing year. j \ Regret that Mr Ott had decided not to seek re-election as chairman was expressed by the Hon. T. F. Doyle, M.L.C., who said that the board had made excellent progress since Mr Ott had assumed office. Six years ago, when Mr Ott was appointed chairman, the board’s finances were in very straitened circumstances. Mr Ott was now relinquishing office leaving the board with cash assets amounting to £26,000. He was the only chairman, to Mr Doyle’s knowledge, who had made a personal inspection of every department and who had a personal interview with every employee, listening to every grievance and doing all in his power to have it rectified, said Mr Doyle. This was necessary because discontent was rife in every department at one time. Several departments were inadequately staffed and some men were working under very poor conditions. Today, however, the staff was satisfied to a marked degree. HARMONY AMONG STAFF ‘The existing harmony is the result of Mr Ott’s personal efforts and we have a loyal and efficient staff today,” said Mr Doyle. “It has been very pleasing to me, as the representative of the people, to hear the tributes they have paid to Mr Ott. I have been associated with local bodies for more than 20 years and I have never sat under a more able chairman. Mr Ott has a first-hand knowledge of the board’s affairs and the Acts governing the board, and this knowledge has been very helpful to members. Always courteous and obliging, he has conducted the meetings in a thoroughly expeditious and'efficient manner.” Mr Doyle congratulated Mr McGregor on his appointment and said he hoped his term of office would be both pleasant and successful. Other members briefly endorsed Mr Doyle’s remarks, and on the motion of Sir Robert Anderson it was decided to place the board’s appreciation on record. At the end of the meeting the executive officers, Mr R. N. Porter (secretary), Mr D. E. S. Mason (engineer), and Captain N. B. W. Haszard (harbour master) referred to Mr Ott’s successful term of office and praised his many fine qualities. They were unanimous in the opinion that in his capacity of chairman he had given them every consideration and the same could be said of his dealings with the individual r embers of the board’s staff. The harmony prevailing among the staff was largely the result of his efforts, and during his regular visits to the port he always found time, when the occasion arose, to grant an interview to any employee who desired to see him. ABLE GUIDANCE The officers, perhaps better than anyone else, were in a position to know the vast amount of time Mr Ott devoted to the board, it was stated. He was courtesy itself when dealing with the board’s customers and was scrupulously fair at all times. It was felt that the position of the Bluff Harbour Board today was a tribute to his able guidance and chairmanship during the past six years. Mr Ott briefly replied, saying that he had enjoyed his term of office and assuring the board that although he had retired (fom the chairmanship he would always give the fullest possible support to the board.