TWO KNIGHTHOODS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 68, 2 January 1936, Page 7

TWO KNIGHTHOODS

HONOURS FOR NEW ZEALANDERS MR HUTCHISON AND MR SHIRTCLIFFE. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, January 1. The Governor-General (Viscount Galway) has announced that his Majesty the King has been graciously pleased, on the occasion of the New Tear, to confer the following honours for services rendered in the Dominion: KNIGHT BACHELOR (Kt.) James Hutchison, of Dunedin, editor of the ‘‘Otago Daily Times.” ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. Knight Commander (K.8.E.) George Shirtcliffe, 0.8. E., of Wellington, chairman of directors of A. S. Paterson and Company, Ltd., and formerly chairman of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. Commander (C.8.E.) Charles John McKenzie, Engineer-in-Chief and Under-Secretary of the Public Works Department. Officers (0.8. E.) Mr's Maude Elizabeth Parkes, of Auckland, a prominent social worker, formerly president of the Auckland branch of the Plunket Society. Professor Ann Gilchrist Strong, of Dunedin, Dean of the Home Science Department of Otago University. ORDER OF ST. MICHAEL AND ST. GEORGE. Companions (C.M.G.) Cecil Albert Jeffery, of Wellington, chief private secretary to the Prime Minister. Willi Fels, of Dunedin, managing director of Hallenstein Bros., and of the D.I.C. SIR JAMES HUTCHISON. Sir James Hutchison, editor of the “Otago Daily Times,” was bora at Wanganui. His father, who had been editor of newspapers in Scotland and Ireland before he came to New Zealand; continued his connection with journalism on his arrival and also filled many public offices, being Mayor of Wanganui, a member of the Wellington Provincial Council, Mayor of Wellington for several terms, and a member of the House of Representatives for four Parliaments, sitting for Wellington City and Dunedin City constituencies. His eldest brother was also a member of Parliament for a number of years. Sir James was educated at Wellington College, and—after an interval in which he obtained commercial training—at the University of Otago. In 1886 ho accepted a position which was offered to him by Thomas Bracken on the reporting staff of the “Evening Herald,” and three years later lie was appointed to the staff of the “Otago Daily Times.” He was later transferred to the editorial staff of the paper, and in 1909 succeeded Sii George Fenwick as its editor. He is now the doyen of editors in the Dominion. He has attended two Empiio Press Union Conferences, one m Canada in 1920 and the other in England in 1930. . Sir James has been connected with various educational and cultural activities, and was chairman of the Dunedin School Committees’ Association for a term, and also chairman of the Dunedin. Athenaeum Conference. He has been warmly interested in outdoor sports, most prominently m Rugby football. He was one of the founders of the Poneke Club in Wellington, and had a long association in an administrative capacity with the Otago Rugby Union, of which he was president for four years. In conformity with journalistic custom he withdrew from all public activities on his appointment to the editorship ot the “Otago Daily Times.” SIR GEORGE SHIRTCLIFFE. Sir George- Shirtcliffe is chairman of directors of A. S. Paterson and Company, Ltd., Wellington, and a director of the Wellington Trustee and Agency Company, Ltd., from the chaiimanship of which ho retired some months ago through ill-health. H e was born at Worksop, England, .in 1862. His parents took him to Christchurch, New Zealand, two years latei, and he was educated at Christ’s College. He began liis career as a cadet in the Government Land Office at Timaru in 1877. A year later he joined the National Mortgage and Agency Company, Ltd. In 1880 ho became accountant and in. 1882 he was appointed accountant for the Canterbury Farmers’ Co-operative Association, rising two years later to the managership. Ho became manager and a partner in A. S. Paterson and Company, Ltd., in 1890. From 1912 to 1919 he was managing director, and in 1927 lie became chairman of directors. Ho served on the Wellington City Council from 1907 to 1913, ahd was a member of the Wellington Harbour Board from 1906 to 1908. He is past president ol the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, and has been a member of numeious Royal Commissions including the 193National Expenditure Commission, ot which lie was chairman. He is a prominent member of tbo Anglican Bynod. ‘He has been a generous benefactor, and on his retirement from the chaiimanship of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in March invested an endowment of £20,000' with the University of New Zealand to enable students' of outstanding ability and character, hut who lacked means to continue their studies.