LABOUR SECRETARY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 82, Issue 305, 24 December 1938, Page 6

LABOUR SECRETARY

WANGANUI APPOINTMENT It has been announced that Mr. H. E. Moston, C.8.E., Assistant-secretary of Labour, will succeed Mr. J. S. Hunter as Secretary of Labour. Mr. Hunter was recently appointed to an administrative position in the new Social Security Department. Mr. Moston was educated in Runcorn, Cheshire, England, and the United Kingdom College. . He studied industrial law and factory conditions in Great Britain and came to New Zealand in 1908. His knowledge of industrial matters, sanitation and hygiene came under the notice of Mr. Edward Tregear and the then chief inspector of factories, Mr. John Lomas, and as a result he joined the Labour Department in January, 1909. After two or three months in head office he was appointed to take charge of the Westland district with headquarters in Greymouth. Later he was transferred to Wanganui and subsequently was appointed the first officer in charge of the Wellington district. Before this the Wellington district was under the control of the head office. Later he was transferred to the position of officer in charge, Auckland, and in 1918 was appointed deputy-chief inspector of factories for the Dominion, and in 1936 assistant secretary of labour. Mr. Moston has had control of the industrial side of the department for the past six years and has been charged with responsible and onerous duties. He was one of the Government delegates to the International Labour Conference which met in Geneva in June last and later made a visit to various countries to study industrial conditions obtaining there. Some years ago he was a keen debater and figured prominently in oratory and debating contests, winning the New Zealand oratorical championship in 1913. He is well known in musical circles and for the past five years has been chairman of the Royal Wellington Choral Union. Mr. Moston is also a successful bowler and has won several centre and club championships. He also skipped a rink that was successful in winning the Public Service bowling tournament.