MAIS, HENRY COATHUPE (18271916)

was born in 1827 at Westbury-on-Trym, near Bristol, England. He was educated at the Bishop's college and was articled in 1844 to W. M. Peniston, one of Brunel's engineers engaged in railway work in the west of England. In 1850 Mais went to Sydney intending to start an engineering business, but in 1851 was appointed as engineer to the Sydney Railway Company, and he afterwards joined the service of the Sydney city commissioners. In 1862 he went to Melbourne as manager to the Melbourne Suburban and Brighton railway, but in 1866 this company was taken over by the state, and Mais obtained a position with the water-supply department. In 1867 he was appointed engineer-in-chief to the colony of South Australia and in January 1871 general-manager of railways. Following a re-arrangement of the departments in 1878 Mais retained the positions of engineer-in-chief and engineer for railways and harbours and jetties. In April 1888 he voluntarily resigned. His 21 years of service in South Australia was a period of great expansion, much money was spent, and Mais saw that it was well spent. He had great skill in his profession and never allowed unsound work to pass. After his retirement he went to Melbourne, for the next 25 years practised as a consulting engineer and arbitrator, and established a wide reputation. He retired in 1912, and died at Melbourne in his eighty-ninth year on 25 February 1916. His wife predeceased him, and he was survived by three sons and two daughters.