GENERAL NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5690, 8 October 1896, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

MR BAKER'S RETIREMENT. Mr J. H. Baker, Commissioner of Crown Lands, who is retiring from the service to take up his residence in England, made a valedictory address at the Wellington Land Board yesterday. The Commissioner expressed regret in retiring from tho public service of the colony after having served in it as an officer of the Land and Survey Department continuously for more than thirtyeight years, in addition to three years of cadet service under the Provincial Government of Canterbury. For the last thirtyone years he had charge of the department in one or other of . the land districts of the colony. That he retired without being entitled ■'• to any • pension after forty years'* hard, and he hoped ho migbt say, efficient service, whilst other Crown Land Commissioners, with less service, were entitled to retire with a-ood pensions, showed the inequality of the New Zealand laws. That no pronsion was now being made for providing a competency for public servants who had to retire after a life service, was, he was convinced, a grave mistake. As far as the. law allowed, the Government had treated him in a liberal spirit, and the Minister of Lands and the Surveyor-General had both sent him very kind and flattering acknowledgments of their approval of his administration of the several branches of the Land and Survey Department which he had at different times controlled, and also expressin«- their regret that he was leaving the service. The Board carried a resolution placing on record Mr Baker's valuable work in tho public service.