Lord Cobham Holds Investiture In City

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28742, 13 November 1958, Page 11

Lord Cobham Holds Investiture In City

Insignia, decorations and medals for civil and military service were presented by the GovernorGeneral (Viscount Cobham) to 63 persons at an investiture in Christchurch yesterday morning. Eleven of the recipients were women.

The ceremony, in the Durham street Art Gallery, lasted 33 minutes. It was as dignified as an investiture should be, but the small hall which was packed with guests and friends and relations of recipients, had been decorated to give an atmosphere of spring informality. It was brightly lit with warm sunshine diffused through the overhead fanlights and hanging drapes, the blue-carpeted dais specially built this week by army engineers was surrounded by shrubbery of variegated leaf, decorative pot plants and climbing flowers, and an open door to Gloucester street with its passing traffic, curious pedestrians and twittering birds lent an open air atmosphere. Among those who attended were the Mayor (Mr George Manning) and Mrs Manning, the Minister of Defence (Mr Connolly). the Minister of Forests (Mr Tirikatene) and the members of Parliament for Selwyn (Mr J. K. McAlpine) and Riccarton (Mr M. A. Connelly).

Recipients were summoned by the Government House military secretary Lieutenant-Colonel J. B. Harrison. One by one they stepped on to the dais, and bowed to Lord Cobham, who was in morning dress, and Lady Cobham dressed in blue and white. Lieutenant N. Durden-Smith. R.N.. passed the decorations to Captain B. Stewart-Wilson. Scots Guards, who handed them to the Governor-General on a scarlet cushion.

Recipients had their decorations hung about their necks or pinned to their clothing, were congratulated by Lord Cobham and shook hands with Their Excellencies before leaving the dais. A fanfare and the National Anthem were played by an RN.Z.A.F. band when their Excellencies entered the hall. The princioal honour at the investiture was the C.8.E.. three of which were bestowed. There were two military crosses and five polar medals.

The three men awarded the C.B.E. were Mr William Fernie, a Christchurch company director, for service to commerce and industry. Mr James Legeat, headmaster of Christchurch Boys’ High School, for service to education: and Mr Harold Service, of Dunedin. for his work as director of the Geological Survey in Malaya. Major Frank Rennie, of Christchurch. received the Military Cross “for skilful and courageous leadershin as commander of the New Zealand Snecial Air Sendees Squadron in the elimination of Communist activities in Malaya”* and Lieutenant lan Burrows, of Christchurch, received a similar award “for his courage, leadership and determination, in spite of physical exhaustion, during jungle operations against Communist terrorists in Malaya.’’ Other recipients, from Christchurch unless otherwise stated, were as follows:

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (0.8. E. CIVIL DIVISION Mr Ernest Empson. president of the Registered Music Teachers' Association. Mr Wiliam Glue, a member of local bodies. Professor Vernon Griffiths. Dean of the music faculty at Canterbury University for 25 years. Mr Frederick Hall-Jones of Invercargill. a Southland historian Mr Robert Strang, of Invercargill. prominent in community affairs. Dr. Randal Woodhouse. D. 5.0.. M.C., V.D.. of St. Andrews, prominent in local government service. Miss Catherine Wylie, of Dunedin. matron of Seacliff Mental Hospital. MILITARY DIVISION Lieutenant-Colonel Tom Morten, of Little River, officer commanding Ist Battalion Canterbury Regiment. Commander Lindsay Laurenson. a member of the Canterbury Naval Volunteer Reserve Service since 1935. MEMBERS OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (M.8.E.). CIVIL DIVISION Mrs Ivy Aldridge, of Invercargill, associated with the kindergarten movement. Mrs Ethel Cordner, associated with Christchurch women’s organisations. Mrs Christina Elliott, of Dunedin. Dominion President of W.D.F.F. Mrs Janet Evans, of Timaru. a leader in South Canterbury community affairs. Mrs Kathleen Ford, principal of the Burwood Girls and Training Centre. Mrs Evelyn Morrison, matron of Glenelg health camp. Mrs Taka Moss, of Karitane, Otago, president of the Christchurch branch of f the Maori Women’s Welfare League.

Mrs Adelaide Rose, a Plunket Society worker. Mrs Lilian Wyatt, long service in patriotic and community affairs. Mr William Brinsley, of Dunedin, a worker in sport. Mr William Cockerill, of Timaru, associated with educational. religious and civil affairs. Mr Havilah Down, associated with hockey in Canterbury. Mr Samuel Lawn, of Dunedin, associated with community affairs. Mr James Mercer, a tennis administrator. Mr James Patrick, of Dunedin, associated with education and engineering. Mr Thomas Spencer, of Bluff, associated with the Maori Land Court. MILITARY DIVISION Major Douglas Green, a territorial force battery commander. Major Melville Lawrence, staff administration officer at Waiouru. Squadron Leader Colin Manson, of Diamond Harbour. former officer commander. Weedons’ store depot. Flight Lieutenant Edward Lunn, adjutant at Wigram. Warrant Officer Second Class Oswald Wahrlich. of Dunedin, a regular force instructor. Royal Red Cross (Second Class) (A.R.R.C.). Matron Judith Lepper, of Dunedin, territorial training in Southern Military District. British Empire Medal (8.E.M.) CIVIL DIVISION Senior Sergeant Don Beal, of Invercargill, for recapturing Borstal escapers. Constable Robert Peggie, for injuries received when attempting to arrest a criminal. MILITARY DIVISION Flying Officer Edward Brown, of Weedons, for service in charge of No. 75 squadron armoury. Bombardier James Horn, of Burnham, for salvage of vehicles in Waiouru Are. Engine Room Artificer First Class Ernest Newman, of Dunedin, for engineroom service over 15 years. Queen’s Fire Service Medal. Chief Fire Officer James Grant of Greymouth, for 30 years’ service. Polar Medal. Mr Harry Ayres, of Mount Cook. Flying Officer William Cranfleld Mr Murray Douglas, of Mount Cook. Mr Bernard Gunn. Mr Guyon Warren. (AU for service in the 1957-58 TransAntarctic Expedition.) Efficiency Decoration Lieutenant-Colonel lan Bell, of Christchurch. Major Geoffrey Bell, of Christchurch. Major Bernard Cox, of Christ1 church. Major Frank Neatc, of Christchurch. Major Sydney Patrick, of Christchurch. Major Edward Reilly, ofChristchurch. Chaplain Third Class Harris Whitfield, of Christchurch. Captain George Brown, of Westport. Captain Sydney Diehl, of Christchurch. Captain William Hall, of Christchurch. Captain Leonard Hewland, of Christchurch. Captain Eden Smith. M.8.E., V.D.. of Christchurch. Lieutenant and Quartermaster Robin Wait, of Christchurch. Volunteer Officers’ Decoration. Lieutenant-Commander Peter Austin. A.D.C., R.N.Z.V.R., of Christchurch. I Lieutenant-Commander Winston Harris. R.N.Z.V.R.. of Christi church. Reserve Officers’ Decoration. Lieutenant-Commander Fergus Campbell. R.N.Z.V.R. of Christchurch.