ROMANTIC CAREER

Taranaki Daily News, 22 September 1931, Page 2

ROMANTIC CAREER

RAILWAY DRAUGHTSMAN. ONOE WORKED AS A SHEPHERD. After 41 years’ service, Mr. A. Howitt, chief draughtsman in the Railway Department, has retired. When he joined the service after working for a time in the old Press office in Wellington, Mr. Howitt had little or no special training for the position he took up as draughtsman except a natural aptitude for the work. His progress was so rapid that a year later he was sent to open a draughting office at Wanganui, where he worked with such zeal that he suffered a serious breakdown in health. Mr. Howitt then took up the work of a shepherd on a sheep station, and at one time he went through the country in search of work, sleeping under trees and in unused gravel pits. He rejoined the railway service in 1898 after being engaged as an artist for a Christchurch lithographic firm. After taking up his old position with the Railway Department, Mr. Howitt progressed rapidly, and he had the unique experience of serving under no less than seven chief engineers. He became chief draughtsman in January, 1923. On the artistic side, the department used Mr. Howitt’s gifts in various ways. During the tour of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, Mr. Hewitt designed the decorations of the main station buildings, and was also the designer and painter of the special programme of white satin issued in connection with the laying of the foundation stone of the present railway buildings in Featherston Street, Wellington. He designed the greenstone and gold trowel used by his Royal Highness (the present King of England) and the greenstone, silver and pearl bouquet-holder for the Duchess. Mr. Howitt is also an expert photographer, and the department has exhibited his pictures of railway structures at every exhibition at home and abroad at which New Zealand has been represented, the last one being at Toronto, Canada. Tn spite of his age, Mr. Howitt, who lives at Lyall Bay, Wellington, has a morning swim throughout the winter and summer, a practice he has continued for many years, A presentation by the railway staff was made to Mr. Howitt at Wellington on Wednesday evening.