DREDGING ENGINEERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4004, 10 August 1915, Page 2

DREDGING ENGINEERS.

APPOINTMENTS UNDER THE RE- j ORGANISATION' SCHEME. GSSBORME MARGOS BOAR 3 RECEIVES A SHOAL OF APPLICATIONS. 139 APPLICATIONS FOR THREE VACANCIES. The members of the Gisborne Harbor Board spent a busy forenoon yesterday going through the shoal of applications which had been received for tiie positions of first and second enginojyci on the dredge Maui and first engineer on the dredger John Townie, y. The applications wore the outcome of the re’onimemlations recently made by the Reorganisation Committee, and adopted by the Board. ‘The Board had its work cut out, as no less than 51 applications were received) for the position of first engineer o ft he Maui, 43 for the position of recent] engineer of the Maui, and 45 for the position of first engineer of the John Town ley. These applications were received from 63 men, a good number applying for all three positions. The salaries, offered were .023 per month for the chief engineer;.,hip of the Maui, and £2O per mouth for the other two berths. The Board met in committee at 10 a.m., and spent a couple of hours carefully going through the long list of applications. A special meeting of the Board was held at noon, . when there were present: Messrs J. Townley (chairman), A. 11. Wallis, G. Smith, J. Brown, G. Witters, T. Quirk, D. J. Barker, K. G. Hallamore, J. W. J. Preston, and Dr J. Clive Collins. The Chairman explained that all the applications had _ boon carefully gone through in committee, and it had been decided to recommend that Mr Levcstam, chief engineer of the Westport Harbor Board’s suction dredger Rubi Seddon, be appointed chief engineer of the Maui, that Mr P. R. D. Leslie be reinstated to the position o| second engineer of tin- Maui, and that Mr Harry McGregor be reappointed chief engineer of the dredger John Townley. lit: moved teat the Board approve of the recommendations made in committee, and confirm the appoint-

incuts. , , Mr Brown seconded the motion, stating that the applications had been aono through very carefully, nothing having been left to chance. The motion was carried unanimously

!>)• Collins said tins Board should in futures consider the principle of advancing their own employees, _ othoiv, ise there would not be any inducement for their own men. Mr Smith said that the committee had fnllv none into this matter. Dr Collins said that ho d : d not insinuate that this had not been done in the present instance. _He only eonsi.iered that the principle should he

adopted in future. ivf t . Tnwnley said that m making the appointments they had in view the i)Ossii;ility of the Maui being worked two shifts. If this were done, the chief engineers could take charge of the different shifts. Dr Collins: Tno engineer or trie John To wnley should he considered.Mr ilrovn said lie quite agreed with Dr Collins that the Hoard should in future consider the principle ot advancing their own employees. Mt there wore special consideration wlnon prompted the appoint moms in the present instances, and he considered the verv best had been done, Mr Preston: AVc have made the appointments watertight, and win [.‘ow be able to work witbin ourselves.

OFALIEICATIOXS OF IHE ' " OFFICERS APPOJXI ED. The following particular* concerning the successful applicants will show that uio Board has been fortunate m securing tlie services of Ingldy-quali CHIEF ENGINEER 01’ IHE MAI 1Air H. A. Levestam lues been iu the employ of the Harbor Board since May, when he was appomte,.. as engineer of the bucket dicdgti Erskine. In A lay, 191)4, lie was transferred to the new suctio.i dmtgor Rubi Soddoii, of GOO tons capacity, as chief engineer, this dredger being worked bv three engineers, and ho n a; present holding this position. AD Levestam lias also been employed as chief engineer on the s.s. Kennedy. He holds a first class marine, engineer s certificate, and is 44 \oms of age. Air C. W. Boult, engineer to the Westport Harbor Board- gave Mr Levestam a high; recommendation. He stated that. Mr Levestam had given entire satisfaction in his work as cine engineer of suction dredger hum Seddon, and stated that in Ins opinion he was an exceptionally capab.c and energetic officer. CHII'T ENGINEER OF THE JOHN towxley. All- Harrv McGregor. who was reappointed to his position as e.nel engineer of the dredge John lowiffirv, has been in 'the Board's empioy since June .1, 1910. He was born at Wellington in 187(5. and was educated at Wellington College and V, ellmgton Technical School.. After serving his apprenticeship with Luke and Lo., of Wellington, he obtained his first class marine certificate in U'o3. i sca-coing experience included tiie toi--1 owing positions: Fifth engineer o, the British India Co. s s.s. India, 4tu engineer of the Umta, and 3id eng l neer of the Rimutaka. l*ewasT.2 months on the repair staff ot o Union iS.S. Co., during "Inch tmu he was relieving as 3rd engineer of He ]laupii-i. 3rd of the Mapouiika, a 3rd of the Wa ill or a. He was also six months acting 2nd engineer of the (,ovormnont steamer Tutanekai. Othei appointments included 2nd of the s.sWaimarie, chief of the s.s. Queen ol tl,c 50., 11. «..<! .-lriof ot iho S.S. To™From Oct., 1904. to Juno 1900, he was with Messrs IC. W . Mills and Co., of Wellington, as representative r-n their" machinery and dim cliandlei department, and from January, DON, till May, 1909,.was in business toi himself at Wellington. SECOND ENGINEER OF THE MAUI. MV P. It. I). Leslie, who was appointed to tho position of second engineer of tho dredge Maui, is 38 years of age. He holds a first-class certificate, and has had about 22 years experience in all classes - of nieclianica engineering. including drawing officework. Hu served nis apprenticeship at -the Liverpool Works, Dumbarton, Scotland, and. after completing this had for a considerable period practical experience in the fitting out of various vessels at bis relatives’, Denny Bios. , well-known shipbuilding yards, Humbarton. Tlienee he proceeded to sea, where ho spent about 12 years, graduating from junior engineer to duet. Ho has held the position of 2nd engineer on the Maui for the past 41 years, and has acted on several occasions as chief. Ho has also held the position of engineor iiv charge of dredges for tho N.Z. Government Lands Department, having been selected out of over 40 applicants, and has also had other experience at Home an abroad in dredge work. Mr Leslie was in tho employ of the Union S.S. Co. front October 2(5, 1898, until October 1(5, 1901, during which time lie hold the positions of 4th engineer of tho s.s. Molcoia, 3rd engineer of tho s.s. Tara worn, and 2nd engineer ot the s.s. Waiuui, s.s. Haupiri, and s.s. Tatune. From January 1,1909, until March 31, 1910, lie held the position ■ of chief mechanical engineer superintending steamers and dredgers owned by the Government in connection with, the drainage works on HnurakL Plains. From June, 1907, to December, 1908, Mr Leslie was cliief engineer of .the Melanesian Mission’s steamer Southern Cross.