The Birthday Honours.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20563, 3 June 1932, Page 10

The Birthday Honours.

The New Zealand names in the Birthday Honours List are few, a business man, three public servants, and a scholar; but the choice will be widely applauded. Sir William .Hunt has long been recognised by those who have known something of his work as one of the Dominion's ablest and most farsighted business men. It is no secret that more than one -Government has been glad of his advice; for there are few men in the country with a better knowledge of the problems of the primary industries. Sir Albert Day has been Official Secretary to every Governor-General since 1914 and in his case particularly the Honours List has been the means of calling attention to services which have necessarily had little publicity. The inclusion of Dr. Hight's name is perhaps the happiest feature of the list, both because the honour is so well'deserved and because the University Calendar generally escapes the notice of those who, in New Zealand, advise his Majesty in connexion with Honours Lists. It would be impossible to say in a few why Dr. Hight has been honoured, because, while a catalogue of his achievements as historian, economist, and teacher would be impressive, it would not satisfy anyone who has known him through that work. . To say that he is perhaps the most, careful and penetrating thinker on social and economic problems in New Zealand to-day would be nearer to the point; and whether the Government's recent recognition of this, in his appointment to the chairmanship of the Economists -Committee, has or has not any bearing upon his I selection for honour, his services then only increased already full desert.