Mr. G. T. Wilson, Transportation Superintendent of the New Zealand Railways, retired from the Railway service on 22nd January, after over 40 years with the Department.

During that time he has had a very varied experience, particularly on the operating side of railroading, and has been directly responsible for many investigations and reports which have paved the way for some of the major improvements in railway transport witnessed in recent years.

Mr. G. T. Wilson's Career.

Joining the Department as a cadet at Dunedin in 1899, he worked in various capacities in that district and was appointed Assistant Relieving Officer in 1908. Later he was Stationmaster at Allanton for four years, being then promoted to the District Traffic Manager's Office. In 1917 Mr. Wilson was transferred to Head Office, Wellington, and from 1924 to 1928 was associated with the Commercial Branch as Chief Clerk and Senior Business Agent. During his term in the Commercial Branch he represented the Department at a number of conferences of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, the Farmers' Union, and other organisations. Mr. Wilson, while in the Commercial Branch, also introduced the system of interisland through-booking of goods and parcels which has proved of such benefit to the community. He also introduced the present system of reservation of seats in trains. Then followed three years of special duties (including the revision and consolidation of the Railway Department's rules, regulations, and instructions) in Head Office, and a year as Indoor Assistant to the District Traffic Manager, Wellington.

In 1932 Mr. Wilson was appointed District Traffic Manager at Auckland, and in 1935 he was promoted to Transportation Superintendent, with headquarters at Wellington.

Since his appointment to this position Mr. Wilson has been associated with the other heads of branches in planning many important improvements, notably major rearrangements of traffic facilities at Huntly, New Plymouth, Marton, Taumarunui, Rotorua, Napier, Te Kuiti, Westfield-Otahuhu and numerous other stations. His experience has been of assistance in the designs of the new stations and yards at Frankton Junction, Palmerston North, Stratford, Te Awamutu and Christchurch and he has been actively concerned in the fixing of station sites and the designs of the stations and yards on the various deviations and duplications, also on new lines, chiefly the Dargaville extension, the Paeroa-Pokeno line, the NapierGisborne extension, South Island Main Trunk, and the Westport-Inangahua line.

Amongst extra-Departmental activities upon which he has been engaged from time to time, Mr. Wilson is at present Chairman of the National Transport Committee for the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition.

Mr. A. L. Smith.

Mr. A. L. Smith, who has been appointed to act as Superintendent of Transportation, joined the Railways Department at Christchurch as a cadet in 1903, and was transferred to the Southland district in the same year. After five years' training at various stations in Southland, he returned to Canterbury on promotion, and in 1914 was appointed Stationmaster at Coalgate.

In 1915 Mr. Smith joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and left New Zealand with the Canterbury Regiment, 10th Reinforcements. On his return to Christchurch in 1919 he resumed duty in the Traffic Branch, and in 1924 was appointed to a supervisory position in the Refreshments Brancn.

From 1927 to 1930 Mr. Smith was Inspector of the Refreshment Branch and then became Wagon Supply Officer in the District Traffic Manager's Office at Christchurch. In 1932 he was appointed Stationmaster at Greymouth and in 1933, Goods Agent at Christchurch. Mr. Smith was acting as Chief Clerk in the Commercial Branch at Wellington from 1935 to 1936, when his appointment to that position was confirmed. In 1937 he was promoted to Assistant Traffic Manager, Wanganui, and in the following year transferred to Wellington as District Traffic Manager, a position he has filled until his present appointment.