Mr B. E. Souter Retires

Te Ao Hou, March 1969, Page 25

Mr B. E. Souter Retires Mr B. E. Souter, who has been for over six years Deputy Secretary of the Maori and Island Affairs Department, retired at the end of 1968. He began his Public Service career in the Public Trust Office in 1927, and after servcie with State Advances and Industries and Commerce, joined the Maori Affairs Department at Auckland in 1950. He became District Officer for Tokerau in 1954, and three years later came to Head Office as Assistant Secretary. He was made Deputy Secretary in 1962. The new Deputy Secretary is Mr K. Laurence, who has been with the Department National Publicity Studios photographs Mr B. E. Souter Mr K. Laurence for almost 18 years, including 16 in Tokerau, the last five as District Officer. Mr Souter was farewelled at Ngati Poneke Hall on 18 December. Referring to him as ‘the mainspring of the Department’, Mr J. McEwen spoke of him as an efficiency expert and a great man for ideas. He had been behind the Apprenticeship Training Scheme and had encouraged its expansion, the building of hostels, and assistance to Maori farmers. Quoting a proverb, The sky does not know how wide it is: the sea does not know how deep it is, Mr McEwen said he was ‘doubtful if the Maori people realise how much they owe this man. He doesn't know himself how much they owe to him.’ In thanking Mr Souter on behalf of the Maori people, Mr Matiu Rata said that people began to value things when they were going to lose them or had lost them, and all had a great deal to thank Mr Souter continued on page 14