"Charlie" Wurth

Popular Official Retires From Papuan Service

From Our Own Correspondent.

Pt. Moresby, Dec. 2.

THE Hon. C. T. Wurth, Commissioner for Lands and Agriculture and Direc tor of Mines in the Territory of Papua, finally left Papua on November 29, when he took his long leave. On its termination he will retire from the pub lic service, after 29 years’ service.

Mr. Wurth was born in Queensland exactly 57 years ago. At an early age, he enlisted for service in the South Af rican War, and later entered the service of the South African Government. Then he joined the Queensland Government service, and remained until 1909, when he crossed over to Papua and joined the public service in March, nearly 30 years ago.

Mr. Wurth’s duties first took him to the Northern and North-eastern Divis ion where, at the time, the goldfields on the Mombare and Yodda had at tracted a large community of miners; and, during this remarkable period, Mr.

Wurth held the position of Resident Magistrate.

In 1914, Mr. Wurth volunteered for war service. At the cessation of hostili ties he was transferred to Buna, and as R.M. of this and other stations, even tually became Resident Magistrate of the Central Division, stationed at Port Moresby. In 1936, he was appointed Commissioner of Lands and Agriculture and Director of Mines. Since his ap pointment. he has been faced, not only with awakened interest in agriculture— rubber in particular—but with extensive

work in connection with the operations of tne different oil companies prospect ing for oil in the territory, to whom he has given every assistance. “A tiger for work, very exact, very, very honest, loyal to his salt” —that is a summing up of Hon. C. T. Wurth, who is one of the most popular officers Papua has ever known.

On November 25, at the Public Ser vice Club, Mr. Wurth was presented with a wallet of notes by his fellow-officers.

Some very flattering things were said of him by the Lieut.-Governor’ (Sir Hubert Murray).