A FINE WORK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19961, 20 November 1934, Page 5

A FINE WORK

SUCCESS OF WAITAKI UNDERTAKING COMPLIMENTARY SOCIAL Tributes to the fine work accomplished by those concerned in bringing a great national scheme to a successful conclusion were paid by various speakers in Waimate last night when about 150 people gathered at the Savoy at a complimentary social tendered by the combined Waimate County and Borough Councils to the Hon. J. Bitchener. Minister of Public Works, Mr P. T. M. Kissel, Chief Electrical Engineer, Public Works Department, Wellington, and Mr R. H. Fackwood, District Engineer. Public Works Department, Waitaki Hydro, to mark the successful completion of the gigantic work of harnessing the Waitaki River for the generation of electrical current. The following representatives of contiguous local bodies, in most instances accompanied by their wives, were present by invitation: Messrs R. Milligan (chairman), I. Dalmer (engineer) and J. Denford (secretary), Waitaki Power Board: G. Dash (chairman), G. Saunders, H. J. Mathers, J. R. Hart, B. R. Macdonald, K. Mackenzie, G. W. Morrison (engineer) and J. M. McAuliffe (secretary!, South Canterbury Power Board; T. W. Satterthwaite (Mayor), E. A. S. Killick (town clerk), A. E. Watkins (electrical engineer), Timaru Borough Council; 11. E. P. Cooney (Mayor), J. Branthwaite (town clerk), Oamaru Borough Council; A. Mclnnes (chairman). G. Cuthbertson (county engineer). Waitaki County Council; H. B. S. Johnstone (chairman), Councillors J. J. Dickson, A. N. Hayes, Dr P. R. Woodhouse, Messrs W. P. Black (county engineer), L. J. Collins (county clerk), Waimate County Council; Councillors W. G. Paul, S. I. Pitch. R. H. White, W. F. Boland, S. G. Reid, J. T. Hay, T. Twomey, A. W. Good, A. J. Hoskins, Mr B. R. Runciman (town clerk), Waimate Borough Council; Messrs R. G. McGibbon (district engineer) and P. Langbein (district engineer). Public Works Department, Christchurch; Messrs L. T. Payne and P. T. Bignell (resident engineers), Waitaki Hydro; Misses B. S. and E. L. Bitchener, Waimate; Mr A. Shackleton, Waimate; Mr A. E. Lawrence, editor of “The Timaru Herald”; Mr D. McLennan, editor of “The Timaru Post,” and Mr N. E. Hutchins, private secretary to the Minister of Public Works. The Mayor of Waimate (Mr G. Dash) presided and associated with him on the platform were the principal guests of the evening, and Messrs H. B. S. Johnstone, chairman of the Waimate County Council, and Mr R. Milligan, chairman of the Waitaki Power Board. Chairman’s Opening. The chairman said that he was pleased to see all the people distinguished in the world of affairs present to do honour to the guests of the evening. It was fitting that a function such as the present should be held in Waimate. in view of the fact that Waimate had the honour of firing the first and the last shot connected with the great Waitaki scheme. The first shot was fired when a petition was sent from this district in 1903 asking the Government to endeavour to provide power from the Waitaki to supply the needs of North Otago and South Canterbury. The Government had kept the matter steadily in view for about a quarter of a century before work was eventually put in hand. Probably the last shot connected with the job was when the order for the equipment for the Glenavy sub-station was undertaken by one of the large enginee-iug firms in Britain. It would interest his hearers to know that the man who supervised the whole of this large order for the firm referred to was an old Waimate boy, Mr Alan Shackleton, who was present with them that night. County t.nairman's Tribute. “It is my happy task to speak of our old friend the Hon. John Bitchener,” said Mr Johnstone, who said that he felt greatly honoured at being given the opportunity to refer to Mr Bitchener’s many fine qualities and Mr Bitchener’s entry into public life was when he was elected to the Makikihi riding seat on the Waimate County Council, a seat which he had held ever since with credit to himself, the County Council, and the Makikihi Riding in particular. Many years before that Mr Bitchener was connected with the Waimate County as a son of the soil, and he was one of the many farming men who had become great and trusted leaders of the people. Mr Bitchener’s work in South Canterbury as a whole had been great. His association with local bodies over 30 or 40 years was outstanding. He was elected to the Waimate County Council in 1908 and that record of continuous service had been eclipsed by only one member, the late Mr Hardy, who represented the Makikihi Riding for 37 years. Mr Bitchener had been chairman of the Council from 1928 to 1933, when he had to vacate the chair owing to his elevation to the Ministry. He was elected to the Timaru High Schools’ Board in 1908, and occupied the chair for 21 years—a record of which anyone should feel proud. Mr Bitchener had seen the school grow to one of the best and greatest schools in the Dominion, a school which also enjoyed an Empire reputation. He had also been a member of the Waimate High School Board for many years, a member of the South Canterbury executive of the Farmers’ Union for 32 years and president for 15 years, a member of the Waimate branch of the Union and a past president, a member for 32 years of the Waimate Agricul-

tural and Pastoral Association and a past president, a member of the Timaru Harbour Board for 17 years, and of the Waimate Hospital Committee for live years. Mr Johnstone said that Mr Bitchener had been a member of Parliament since 1919 and had been Minister of Public Works for two years—an excellent record in itself. Mr Bitchener’s success in life had been due to his trustworthiness and solid character. Two years ago there had been some talk of closing down the Waitaki works on account of the expenditure, but the Minister said he did not believe in changing horses in the middle of a stream and urged for its completion. "If you require a monument to yourself look around,” said Mr Johnstone, addressing the Minister and again referring to his fine record. He hoped that Mr Bitchener would be spared to live many years of useful service as he was the type o' man that New Zealand could ill-afford to be without. Mr Kissel Honoured. Mr Milligan, after acknowledging the privilege of speaking, said that there was no doubt that a fitting function should be held to commemorate the completion of the great undertaking on the Waitaki, but what he did not know was how Waimate came to steal a march on Oamaru and Timaru in staging it. This was probably due to their Mayor, who was known as disinclined to play second fiddle. The fact of the wish expressed by Waimate 25 years ago being carried out by Mr Bitchener’s department was a tribute to the present Minister of Public Works, and he was worthy of that tribute. When the cessation of work on the dam was contei-plated owing to slump conditions, it was Mr Bitchener who finally decided that the job should go on to completion. This stand had meant not only an immense saving to the country, but had also meant that a great man; men were kept in employment during a most critical period. Mr Milligan then traversed the contentions held years ago regarding the respective merits of Lake Tekapo and Waitaki as a source of supply, and stated that when a meeting on the subject had been held at Oamaru, he had urged that the matter should be left entirely in the department’s hands. The deciding voice in the decision in favour of Waitaki was that of Mr Kissel, to whose lot also fell the momentous task of designing the immense dam and its appointments. When we looked at the completed undertaking we realised that to conceive and carry out a work of such immensity was the work of a genius. The name of Kissel was worthy of the highest honour. They were all looking forward to the time when the North and South Islands would be linked up to secure continuity of service, and Mr Kissel could well be proud of the part he had played in designing the great Waitaki link in the service, which constituted the greatest engineering undertaking ever accomplished in the Dominion. Praise for Engineer. Speaking of Mr Pack wood Mr Dash described him as “the doer” so far as Waitaki was concerned. He referred to the diversity of the labour that had come from all parts of the globe to work at the undertaking. It was not always perfect by any means, but it had to be taken as it came. It might possibly be said that such a condition might be expected on any big contract, and that might be so if other conditions were good. At Waitaki, however, with its barren valley, conditions were definitely not good, and in view of the economic state of the country the wages were not good. But, said Mr Dash, Mr Packwood had to make good. He was the poorest paid man for the class of job he had handled that the world had seen in this century. Then again the work was not what could be described as a national enthusiasm. Mr Packwood did make good. There had been no halt or pause in the work worth speaking about and the speaker, who mentioned that he had taken a keen interest in the work, had never heard one man speak ill of Mr Packwood. One man who had worked on the job for five and ahalf years, and a former secretary of a labour union, had in a letter to the speaker described Mr Packwood as "a man who would give a fair proposition a fair pop—a modern Horatio who tenaciously stuck to his task in keeping the bridge.” Another had said that the engineer was a just man and that to the sneaker, meant a great deal. In the words of Lowell, Mr Packwood had accomplished a deed for freedom in his successful carrying out of the scheme. He had widened our horizon of the possible of all things we thought impossible and was deserving of thanks for the great inspiration and uplift he had given us in the magnificent deed accomplished with the aid of his financial colleague, Mr Bitchener, and his thinking colleague, Mr Kissel. The Minister Replies. The Hon. J. Bitchener was given a warm reception by the gathering. He said that the speeches he had listened to had impressed him greatly, and he would like to thank Mr Johnstone in particular . for the kind references made to himself. "I have been associated with Mr Johnstone for a great number of years, and I am sure I do not deserve all the nice things he has said about me,” he continued, "but I appreciate his kindness very much.” He could only attribute any success he had achieved to the very fine men with whom it had been his good fortune to be associated on public bodies in South Canterbury. Nobody could have had better or kinder associates than the speaker had met with during his 27 years’ experience. Turning to the matter of the Waitaki Hydro, Mr Bitchener said that he could not tell those present much of importance. Any credit in connection with the undertaking was due to a few of his friends and not to himself. It was

only 18 months since he had the pleasure of accepting office, and it was intensely gratifying that this great work had been carried out in their own district. It was a scheme surpassing anything previously attempted and he regretted that Mr C. J. McKenzie, en-gineer-in-chief to the Department was unable to be with them to receive a measure of congratulation that evening. While speaking of departmental engineers, Mr Bitchener said he received frequent assurance of their very high capabilities, and it was nice to be able to state that they mostly comprised Canterbury or Otago bred men. "These men have achieved a work which nobody thought could be successfully accomplished in the face of such formidable difficulties,” he continued, “and no praise is too high for them.” Mr McKenzie had performed wonderful work at Waitaki, and in Mr Kissel they had a man who was not only a great engineer, but had a capacity for business far above the average. who handled the business side of his department with distinction. In regard to Mr Packwood, the speaker during the last 6S years had many opportunities of seeing him at work, and on every occasion he had shown a continued anxiety to have his work completed up to schedule, and how well he had succeeded was now history. “My own share of the work at Waitaki,” said Mr Bitchener, “was to approach the Government, in company with Mr Kissel, for the necessary £500.000 to complete the work.” His department he continued was the frequent target for “stray shots.” From one end of New Zealand to the other they would hear of the scandalous waste and extravagant methods in operation, but people who held these views did not know what they were talking about. He could confidently state, and he would be backed by local body opinion throughout the country, that the operations of the Public Works Department were carried out expeditiously, economically and well.

In conclusion, Mr Bitchener said it was pleasant to record that the Government had decided to recognise the fine work of Mr and Mrs Packwood at Waitaki. Mrs Packwood had ably backed the work of her husband, and it had been decided that they should be granted a holiday of eight month’s duration at the expense of the Department. It was pleasing also to record that the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, had been greatly impressed with Mr Packwood’s work, and had recently forwarded to him no fewer than ten references to people in high places in various parts of the British Empire, some of them holding office as Governor-General, and the speaker hoped that these introductions would help the recipient to acquire the maximum of valuable knowledge on his impending tour, and prove of benefit to him on his return to our wonderful country. Art of Engineering. “I do not want you to think that the work at Waitaki was the work of any one individual. It was a result of cooperation and organisation by an army of thinkers and workers,” said Mr Kissel in reply. It was, he said, no credit to him, but only to his good fortune to be the head of that particular branch of the Department. ‘‘l am, however pleased with the job and pleased also that you are too,” continued Mr Kissel. The art of civil engineering was defined in the Charter of the Institute as the art of controlling the forces of Nature to the service of man, and in Waitaki this fundamental definition of civil engineering was brought home. Although in New Zealand there were similar schemes, Waitaki was recognised as a spectacular work. The Department realised that the Waitaki was a turbulent and treacherous river, and under the able leadership of Mr Packwood he thought that they had been reasonably successful in overcoming the peculiarities of the river. The scheme, he said, would not be a success to the engineers and workmen who carried it out unless the power generated was used to the best advantage. “We have done our job, your job remains,” said Mr Kissel. The Department had made power available fairly generally throughout New Zealand at a price that compared favourably with other countries, while the average price of domestic electricity in New Zealand was half of the average price in U.S.A. or Great Britain. He referred to the bold developmental policy of the Government so far as hydro-electricity was concerned, and

' credit was due to Mr Bitchener and previous Ministers who realised that this development must be carried on. It was the duty of Power Boards and the people to see that Waitaki was made a success. These Boards had carried out their work in an excellent manner in the past, and it was realised that the electrical progress of the Dominion would not have been so great i had it not been for the good work of j the Boards and their staffs. Mr Packwood Replies. Mr Packwood said he did not think, as a result of the complimentary remarks that had been passed about his work, that he would become overmbued with his own importance while ,he memory of the parts played by others connected with the undertaking remained so fresh in the memory. There were many others who had. worked magnificently and who were i unknown to the gathering, and he felt that he must pay tribute to his righthand man, the overseer, Mr F. S. Bignall, who had been associated with him on other Public Works jobs. He could say with all sincerity that a large percentage of the labour on the work was comprised a very good men. Some when they first started were inexperienced, but they graduated into as fine a team of men ever gathered together in a Public Works undertaking in the country, and a good number of those men came from Waimate. He said that he had tried to do his best with the men and had tried to ensure that any action against any man would stand the light of day. The Minister of Public Works had been sympathetic throughout, and the officers, and in fact, everyone associated with the scheme could always be sure of a fair and square deal from Mr Bitchener. Mr Packwood referred to his impending trip abroad, and said that he hoped by gaining knowledge of the latest electrical developments to be able to repay the Government in some way for its outlay. The Minister and the engineers were accorded musical honours. The thanks of the gathering were offered by the Mayor of Timaru to the Mayor and Waimate Borough Council and the chairman and members of the Waimate County Council for the excellent hospitality offered the visitors. He associated himself with the tributes paid to the Minister and his engineers, 1 and said that Timaru fully realised the wonderful work that had been accomplished. He thanked Mr and Mrs Packwood for hospitality given the Timaru Borough Council and himself during visits to Waitaki, and concluded by congratulating Mr Dash on his elevation as chairman of the South Canterbury Power Board. The remarks*, were endorsed by the Mayor of Oamaru, who congratulated all concerned on bringing a great scheme to a successful conclusion. Mr Dash made suitable acknowledgment. The chairman and Mr Johnstone thanked the Minister’s private secretary for the many courtesies extended to them while in Wellington on business in connection with Power Board, borough or county matters. Mr Hutchins thanked the speakers for their remarks. During the evening an enjoyable programme was contributed by the following.— Vocal quartette party, Messrs W. P. Black, L. J. Collins, G. Aitkin and Dr R. G. Shackleton; songs, Miss J. Buchanan; dramatic items, Mr D. Newall; songs, Mr H. C. Foster; cornet solos, Mr H. F. Vincent. Miss Gay Reeve was accompaniste. The function concluded with the National Anthem.