8 THE VARSITY ENGINEER. April, 1915.
Calder Edkins Oliver, Esq., M.C.E., M.Inst.C.E.
Engineer-in-Chief, Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works.
As the President of the Melbourne University Engineer- ing Society, Mr. Calder E. Oliver is the subject of our illus- tration in this issue of " The ' Varsity Engineer." Mr.
Oliver is the son of the late Mr. Alexander Calder Oliver,.
one of the first secretaries of the Roads and Bridges Depart- ment, Victoria, and is the stepson of the late Dr. Barrett, of South Melbourne. Born at St. Kilda, on 4th July, 1855, Mr. Oliver was educated at the Church of England Gram- mar School, under the late Dr. Bromby, being No. 497 on the roll.
Proceeding to the Melbourne University, he passed his examination as C.E. in 1877, and in 1893 gm
aed the degree of M.C.E. In 1886 he obtained the certificate of Municipal Engineer, and that of Hydraulic Engineer in 1889. He was elected A.M.Inst.C.E. in 1888, and M.Inst.C.E. in 1897.
Mr. Oliver was the first student selected from the Uni- versity to assist in the observation of the Transit of Venus, in 1874.
During 1877 and 1878 he was engaged in the Victorian Railways Department, as Field Assistant on Surveys, and from 1878 to 1883 was with Messrs. C. and E. Millar—the well-known railway contractors—as Engineer on Construc- tion, in Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales,.
carrying out over 600 miles of railway line.
In 1883 and 1884 he was Assistant Engineer to the Sydney Corporation, engaged in Sewerage and Water Supply Work, and in 1885 and 1886 was again engaged as Engineer on railway construction work in New South Wales and Western Australia.
Mr. Oliver, in 1887, was appointed Resident Engineer on the second section of the Maroondah Aqueduct in connec- tion with the Melbourne Water Supply Department, and these duties occupied him until 1889—while during 1890 and part of 1891 he was Inspecting Engineer of the Victorian Water Supply Department.
From 1891 up to the present time, Mr. Oliver has been prominently associated with the Melbourne and Metropo- litan Board of Works, in the following capacities, viz.:—
Superintending Engineer of Sewerage, 1891-1906.
Superintending Engineer of Sewerage and Water Supply,.
1906-1907.
Engineer-in-Chief, from 1907.
April, 1915. THE VARSITY ENGINEER. 9
Mr. Oliver's career covers an unbroken period of thirty- seven years in connection with some of the most extensive works executed throughout Australia, necessitating skill in the construction and maintenance of railways and viaducts, and in bridges, aqueducts, channels, reservoirs, tunnels, etc., for water supply and sewerage works, an experience prac- tically embracing every branch of Civil Engineering.
Besides being this year President of the Melbourne Uni- versity Engineering Society, Mr. Oliver is Chairman of the Victorian Section of the Local Government Engineers of Australia, and Vice-President of the United Association, and is on the Executive Committee (Local Council) of the Insti- tution of Civil Engineers. He is also a Past President and Member of Council of the Victorian Institute of Engineers, and was for several years one of the honorary co-examiners in Hydraulic Engineering for the Melbourne University, as well as being Past President of both the Royal Society and the Working Men's College. He is also a one-time member of Council of the former, and a present member of Council of the latter body. To these various associations Mr. Oliver has delivered numerous addresses and papers on Engineer- ing and scientific subjects. He has also lectured before the Engineering students of the University, and is brought into close touch with University life by being a member of the University Club.
Mr. Oliver married, in 1883, a daughter of the late Mr.
Charles Kernot, M.L.A., the lady being also a sister of the late Professor Kernot, and has a family of three daughters and one son.
