James Young
YOUNG James (Jim) White BCE MIEAust MInstT CBE (1899-1966)
J W Young was born at Drouin, Victoria on January 18, 1899, the son of William Young and his wife Grace Moffatt Young. He was educated at Scotch College and at the University of Melbourne graduating Bachelor of Civil Engineering with honours.
Mr Young interrupted his study at the University to serve in the 15th Field Company Engineers AIF in the First World War and later attained the rank of Captain in the Army Reserve.
Prior to his appointment as an Assistant Engineer with the Western Australian Main Roads Board in 1928, Mr Young was employed by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria and the Civil Engineering Construction Co Pty Ltd. He was appointed by Main Roads as District Engineer in the Metropolitan Area in 1928, Inspecting Engineer in 1929 and Commissioner in 1941.
He led his Department in building 47 airfields between 1942 and 1944 including Potshot at Exmouth, Corunna Downs near Marble Bar and Yanrey near Onslow. Other defence related activity was upgrading of the Eyre Highway. The Second World War had two major long term effects on Main Roads. One was that it convinced the organisation of the value of heavy construction machinery which would become the key to making good and cost effective roads in the future. The other was that the war helped focus Western Australia's attention more firmly on the north of the State and, by 1944/45, a quarter of Main Roads expenditure was in that region.
He represented Main Roads at the meetings with NAASRA (now Austroads) between 1941 and 1951 and was Chairman of the Conference in 1946. In 1951 he travelled overseas to the United States on five months study leave to attend a course on highway improvement and utilisation.
He left Main Roads to take up the position of Director of Works, Public Works Department (PWD), in January 1953 holding that position until he retired in 1962. He had held the position of Deputy Director of Works, PWD, from early 1952, as a transitional arrangement. He also was Deputy Chairman of the State Electricity Commission from March 31, 1954 for a term of three years.
Mr Young was elected a Member of the Institution of Engineers from 1938 and a Member of the Institute of Transport. He was made a Commander of the British Empire in 1962 for his service to the State. He was Chairman of the Perth Division of the Institution of Engineers in 1938.
On October 5, 1938 he married Hazeldene Zoe Horne in Perth.
He died at South Perth on July 6, 1966.
His published papers include “the problem of traffic and development in Western Australia” JIEA 11, 1939, p283; “Bituminous treatment of a water catchment at Narrogin” JIEA 13, 1941; and “Road construction notes from the Commissioner of Main Roads while on a visit to the USA” 1951.
References:
Main Roads Alumni https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/AboutMainRoads/Employment/MainRoadsAlumni/Pages/MainRoadsAlumniHome.aspx
West Australian 20.1.1953, p3
West Australian 20.3.1954 p2
Engineers Australia, Nomination of Perth’s Causeway Bridges for an Engineering Heritage Award, August 2012
