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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]

Inspection Of Machinery

Inspection Of Machinery.

The Offices Of The Inspector Of Machinery are situated in Maling's Buildings, Worcester Street, opposite the Clarendon Hotel.

Mr. P. J. Carman, Inspector of Machinery, took charge of the Canterbury branch in May, 1902. He had previously been on the staff of the head office in Wellington. Mr. Carman's biography and portrait appear on page 151 of the Wellington volume of this work.

Mr. Alexander McVicar, formerly Inspector of Machinery for the Provincial District of Canterbury, was born in 1858 at Ardrishaig, Argyleshire, Scotland, and is a son of the late Mr. A. McVicar, a well-known contractor of that seaport town. On the death of his father in 1867, the family removed to North Knapdale, where he was educated at the Free Church school, and gained some experience of farming while in the district. In 1873, at the age of fifteen, he was apprenticed to engineering, under Messrs John Elder and Co., now the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, of Govan, Glasgow; and at the expiration of his apprenticeship, he joined the
Standish and Preece, photo.Mr. A. McVicar.

Standish and Preece, photo.
Mr. A. McVicar.

page 150 Orient Steamship Company on one of its steamers trading between Australia and England. On leaving that service he joined that of the Union Steamship Company, and came out to New Zealand as third engineer on the “Wairarapa.” In 1888, after successively filling the positions of third, second, and chief engineer with the Union Company, Mr. McVicar resigned his post to take charge of the North British and Hawke's Bay Freezing Company's works at Napier. He retained that position till 1897, when he entered the Government service as Inspector of Machinery for the Canterbury district. During his residence in Napier, Mr. McVicar was the originator of the Napier Drum and Fife Band. He was also one of the organisers of the Hawk's Bay Highland Society, of which, on his departure from Napier, he was made a life member. In May, 1902, he was transferred from Christchurch to Nelson.