BIRTHDAY HONOURS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 198, 4 June 1934, Page 3

BIRTHDAY HONOURS

NEW ZEALAND RECIPIENTS. TWO KNIGHTHOODS CONFERRED SIR R. A. ANDERSON AND SIR G. H. WILSON. 0 (Per Press Association). AUCKLAND, June 3. The Governor-General has announced that the King has been graciously pleased, on the occasion of his Majesty's birthday, to confer- the following honours in recognition of services rendered in this Dominion:— KNIGHT BACHELOR. Robert Albert Anderson, - nvereargill. George Henry Wilson, Auckland. CM. G. Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George. James Christie, LL.M., parliamentary law draughtsman. George Williamt Hutchison, Mayor of Auckland. C.B.E. Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. - Robert Percy Ward, formerly UnderSecretary of the Department of Justice. I. S. O. Imperial Service Order. Ward George Wohlmann, Commissioner of Police.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. SIR ROBERT ANDERSON. One of the best known figures in Southland, Sir Robert Albert Anderson has been managing director of the firm of J. G. Ward and Co., Ltd., for many years. He joined the late Sir Joseph Ward as accountant in 1898 and formed the business into a limited liability company, taking a place on the directorate. The firm handles all classes of fanners' business and has been closely connected with the development of Southland as a farming province. As managing director of this firm, Sir Robert Anderson also, controls the Ocean Beach Freezing Co., Ltd< of which J. G. Ward and Co. are managing agents. Sir Robert has two farms of his own—one at Waikiwi, where he specialists in fat -sheep and cattle, and the other at Dipton, where there is a well-known stud of Southdown sheep, a breed particularly suited to Southland. In addition to J. G. Ward and Co., Sir Robert is closely connected with a large number of other concerns. Among the boards of directors on which he occupies a seat are those of the Bank of New Zealand, the New Zealing Shipping Company, Dominion Milk Products, Ltd., New Zealand Express Co., Ltd., New Zealand Milk Products, Ltd., and the Dominion Investment Trust Co., Ltd. He is also a member of the Local Bodies Loans Board and is president of the New Zealand Bird Protection Society. SIR GEORGE H. WILSON. Sir George Wilson has been intimately associated with the public life of Auckland for many years. Born in Yorkshire, he went to Canada as a young man. He was the virtual father of direct trade between New Zealand and Canada. With the assistance of the Canadian Pacific Railroad and the Union Company the firm of Wilson and Canham, dealing mainly with wool, meat and by-products, developed the trade of carrying goods at less than cost at the. start. Later he secured the running of a direct steamer service, which is still operating successfully Thirteen branches of the firm were' established in New Zealand and Australia, and in. 1910 the headquarters were transferred from Toronto to Dunedin. Mr Wilson went to Auckland in 1913 and busied himself at once witb raising funds for various, war purposes: His private subscriptions in connection with war work totalled £ls 000 He was a director of Hem? Brett and Co., Ltd., publishers ot the "Auckland Star" from the tune that firm was formed into a public company until its amalgamation with the Lyttelton Times Company, Ltd , in 1928 when both firms were merged in Now' Zealand Newspapers, Ltd. He has been a director of the New Zealand Insurance Company since 191 b, ana also occupies a seat on the direc orates of a number of other Auckland companies. His interest in education Shown from 1920 until 1930 when he was a member of the Auckland University College Council and for fom years he was co-opted member of the Auckland City Council library Committee. Sir George has been actively Associated with the Auckland Reform League, being chairman for many years. MR R. P- WARD. After forty-six years' service im the Justice Department Mr R, P. tt ard retired a few months ago. He was born in 1868 at New Plymouth being "son of Judge Ward, of the Native Land Court. His service m the Justice Department included periods at Wanganui, Oamaru, Dunedm and Wellington, when he was associated with the work of magistrates' courts at all these places.' In 1921 he became Registrar of the Supreme Court at Dunedm ami later held a, similar position at Auckland. For a period from 1922 ho was also inspector of the Department, and became Under-Secretary in 1925. When stationed at Oamaru he represented North Otaga at cricket, lawn tennis and golf, and was also an Otago representative cricketer. MR G. W. HUTCHISON.

Like Sir George Wilson, Mr George W. Hutchison, 0.M.G., Mayor of Auckland, is a prominent Reformer, but he does not always see eye to eye with his party chief on issues of publio

moment. On severtal occasions since his election to the Auckland Mayoralty about three and a 'half years ago Mr Hutchison has figured as an outspoken "critic of the Government policy, particularly in relation to unemployment, a problem which has occupied the bulk of his time in public life. He was one of* the authors of, and prime movers in, the rehabilitation proposals which, among other tilings, involved the raising of an internal loan of £10,000,000, and found himself sharply at variance with Mr Coates on the issuo. Mr Hutchison, who is now in his second term as Mayor of Auckland, has battled hard in the interests of unemployed, and it is conceded that the progressive liberalisation of the Unemployment Board policy in the last eighteen months has been partly due to his sustained advocacy and representation. The City Council finances have improved under his administration and a programme of works which he initiated has been fairly substantial. MR JAMES CHRISTIE. School teacher, Treasury official and law draughtsman have been the offices filled by Mr James Christie, C.M.G. Born in Otago, Mr Christie was for two years a pupil teacher at Roxburgh before he was appointed to the Treasury as a cadet in 1901. Three years later, he joined the Crown Law Office and, on the formation of the law drafting office with Professor (later Sir John) Salmond as counsel, Mr Christie worked under this distinguished barrister. Some years later he took his Master of Laws degree at Victoria College and, after holding the position temporarily from 1916 to 1918, was appointed Parliamentary Law Draftsman in 1918. In 1930, Mr Christie was ' appointed a member of the New Zealand Editorial Board in connection with the reprint of the statutes and went to England as the representative of the board to confer with the publishers. MR W. G. WOHLMANN.

Mr Ward George Wohlmann, executive head and Commissioner of the New Zealand Police Force, was born in Invercargill and, as a young man, joined the Permanent Artillery after having been a member of the Riverton Rifles and the Southland Hussars_. He entered the police force in 189t> and, before his appointment as Commissioner in 1930, had served in most departments of the force. For two years, from 1920 to 1922, he served as Commissioner of Police in Samoa. His early days in the police force were spent in Otago and Southland, after which he held various ranks in the Waikato, Auckland and v Christchurch. He was promoted to superintendent at Auckland in 1926. As a young man he was an ardent footballer and oarsman and to-day taken a keen interest in miniature rifle shooting.