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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 4, Issue 5 (September 1, 1929)

Assistant General Manager of the New Zealand Railways — Mr. M. Dennehy Appointed

page 17

Assistant General Manager of the New Zealand Railways
Mr. M. Dennehy Appointed

The appointment of Mr. M. Dennehy, Law Officer of the Railway Department, to be Assistant General Manager of Railways was announced by the Hon. W. B. Taverner (Minister of Railways) on the 15th August.

Mr. Dennehy, in his position of Law Officer, was also in charge of the Lands Branch of the Department. During the General Manager's recent visit to Australia he was in charge of the administrative affairs of the Department. In the course of his service as Law Officer, he came closely into contact with the transport problems of the Department, which have loomed so largely in its affairs during recent years. He was engaged on the lands side of the Department's business at the time when large areas were taken over by the Department for extensions of the service, particularly at Auckland and Christchurch. Mr. Dennehy was a member of the Superannuation Fund Board for some years, being later appointed secretary of the Board. His connection with staff matters is somewhat unique. He was actively connected with the Railway Officers' Institute during fifteen years, and the last position he occupied in it was that of president. He was the officers’ representative on some of the principal boards which considered the questions of salaries and working conditions in the Railways, namely, the inquiry conducted by Mr. Justice (now Sir Walter) Stringer in 1919, and also that conducted by Mr. (now Sir George) Elliot.
Mr. M. Dennehy. S. P. Andrew, Photo.

Mr. M. Dennehy.
S. P. Andrew, Photo.

Mr. Dennehy's close association with staff questions has thus proved, and will continue to prove, of great value to the Department. As Law Officer, practically all the Department's problems passed through his hands. This position has become more important recently, owing to the development of such phases of railway activity as the through booking of passengers and goods, and road transport. All these new activities called for legal guidance as to the powers and authorities vested in a State Department in relation to the general transport question. It is interesting to note that the present General Manager (Mr. H. H. Sterling) at one time occupied the position of Law Officer for the Department. It is generally recognised that study and knowledge of the law assist towards the development of that breadth of vision so necessary in dealing with the large issues of present-day business enterprise. In this respect Mr. Dennehy's long period of training has developed capacities and qualifications that specially suit him for the work in hand. He joined the service as a cadet in 1891, at Christchurch, and was stationed at Waipawa, Waipukurau, Invercargill, Wellington, and Wanganui. In 1915 he was promoted to the Department's Lands Branch in Wellington, and two years later was appointed assistant Land Officer for the Department, a position which he occupied until 1921. After serving as Land Officer for three years he was promoted to the position of Law Officer, a post which he has held until the present time.
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In The Austrian Tyrol. A typical section of the Innsbruck-Arlberg Mountain Railway.

In The Austrian Tyrol.
A typical section of the Innsbruck-Arlberg Mountain Railway.