MANAGING-SECRETARY OF HARBOUR BOARD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 170, 22 July 1941, Page 4

MANAGING-SECRETARY OF HARBOUR BOARD

MR. W. J. GARDNER RESIGNS TRIBUTES TO HIS 21 YEARS Ol SERVICE The resignation of the managingsecretary, Mr. W. J. Gardner, was accepted with regret by the Wanganui Harbour Board at its monthly meeting yesterday. Mr. Gardner has been appointed secretary of thc Harbours' Association of New Zealand, and also the New Zealand Harbour Boards’ Industrial Union of Employers. His headquarters will be in Wellington. The chairman, Mr. D. Ross, said Mr. Gardner had been with the board for 21 years and in that time had given very good service. The board should acknowledge, in some way, what h» had done, and the valuable assistance he had given. Tributes to Mr. tjardner's ability were also paid by the Hon. W. J. Rogers, M.L.C., and other members of the board. The board decided that, on Mr. Gardner’s retirement, he would be granted three months’ salary in recognition of his services. Mr. Gardner said ho regretted, in many ways, that, he would be leaving Wanganui. He assured members that when in Wellington he would keep closely in touch with the hoard and would be only too pleased to be of assistance at any time. The question of a successor to Mr. Gardner was also discussed and is to he considered by a special committee of Messrs. Rogers, J. Robertson. D. Dwyer, and F. O. Bridgeman. The board recommended that. Mr. N. D. Cullen be appointed secretary on his return to New Zealand. Formerly ot the board’s staff, Mr. Cullen is now serving overseas with thc Second N.Z.E.F. Formal advice that Mr. Gardner had been appointed to his new position was received at thc meeting yesterday in a letter from the Harbours' Association. At present Mr. Gardner is secretary of the New Zealand Harbour Boards' Industrial Union of Employers. and till la;t September Mr. A. G. Barnett, general manager of the Wellington Harbour Board, was secretary of the Harbours’ Association of New Zealand. Mr. Barnett died suddenly last year and it was subsequently decided to employ a full-time secretary for both organisations. The proposal was discussed at a meeting in Wellington recently and approved by most harbour boards in New Zealand.