Departure Of Lord Norrie After Private Investiture

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28314, 27 June 1957, Page 9

Departure Of Lord Norrie After Private Investiture

! The last hour of the farewell Visit to Christchurch of the Gov-ernor-General (Lord Norrie) and Lady Norrie was rich in the little Jiuman gestures which have made them loved so well. ; In the bedroom of a former Primate of New Zealand, the Most Jtev. A. W. Averill, Lord Norrie conducted a private investiture Jnto Companionship of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael fend St. George. Archbishop Averill has been confined to bed the award of the C.M.G. was announced in the Queen's girthday Honours this month and leir Excellencies made a special Jietour to his home at 8 Chapter Street for the ceremony. • Archbishop Averill raised himjelf from his pillow while the insignia, on its blue and scarlet gibbon, was slipped round his neck. ; Lord Norrie talked briefly with Archbishop Averill about his service to the Church and to New Zealand and also cheered the former Primate with a joke. Also present were the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren) and members of Archbishop Averill’s family. • The Vice-Regal party thgn drove quickly to Wigram where the aircraft was waiting for the jourqey to Paraparaumu. The Royal New Zealand Air force turned out one of the smartest guards of honour ever seen at

Wigram. One hundred men strong; it comprised a front rank of aircrew trainees with white lapel patches and, in the rear rank, compulsory military trainees They were so well matched that they might have been specially picked from hundreds of men and their bearing and drill were a model of precision.

Tbe Wigram band played the National Anthem as Lord Norrie stood on the dais beneath the.flagstaff and then, with the commander of the guard (Flight Lieutenant R. R. Black) the Gov-ernor-General inspected the full guard and the band. He paid high compliments to both. With this brief ceremony over, the official party moved on to the tarmac. Lady Norrie unobstrusively caused a pause for a woman with a box camera to take a photograph. Lord Norrie then detached himself and Lady Norrie from the party to shake hands with the Public Service drivers who had brought them to Wigram and thank them for their service on this and earlier visits. They also thanked police officers. They were then introduced to the crew of the V.I.P. Dakota of the R.N.Z.A.F. from No. 42 Squadron. As a last gesture they said goodbye to the commanding officer at Wigram (Group Captain T. J. de Lange) and Mrs de Lange, paused on the steps to the aircraft for a last photograph, and then went on board where two Air Force women were waiting to serve as stewardesses.