Investiture for 107

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33451, 5 February 1974, Page 14

Investiture for 107

(.V.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 4. The Wellington Town Hall was a mass of : colour today when the Queen invested 107 people with honours ranging from 'knighthoods to the Imperial Service Medal. The City Corporation had decorated the Town Hall with ■ 15,000 pot plants and flowers ’ including a massive flora! . backdrop which filled the 1 choir stalls. But, with a battery of bright, hot lights in The chamber it wasn’t only lithe flowers which began to jl wilt. j Relatives and friends of the recipients who filled the ■lhall fanned themselves with J their invitation cards in an ■attempt to find cool relief ■’from the humid conditions. The Queen, wearing a dress of aquamarine silk and -matching hat set off with an ostrich plume, arrived at the Town Hall at 10.55 a.m. following a ceremonial drive from Government House. The Queen entered the ’Town Hall to a fanfare of trumpets and when she had taken her place on the stage the audience sung the National Anthem accompanied by Mr Maxwell Fernie, the city organist. Most of the awards given today were announced in the ’ New Year’s Honours list but a few were from last year’s I Birthday list and there were ; also some from the United ’ Kingdom list—including the K.C.M.G. for the British High Commissioner in Wellington | (Sir David Scott). KNIGHTHOODS Others knighted with the ’ K.C.M.G. were Professor Sir ’ William Liley, foetal physi- ’ ology ■ specialist at Auckland’s National Women’s Hospital, and Sir Robert Macfarlane, Christchurch’s Deputy Mayor.

The” Commissioner of Police (Sir Angus Sharp) and the Chief of the Defence Staff (Sir Richard Webb) were knighted K.B.E. As each recipient of decorations approached, the Queen was passed the decoration on a plush cushion. She hung each insignia on a hook, which the recipients were wearing on their left breast, and spent several seconds speaking to each. The Queen spoke longest to Sergeant Morris Burke, R.N.Z.A.F., Auckland, who was awarded the Air Force Medal in October last year.

Ha from the N.Z.B.C. Symphony Orchestra. Also present for the investiture were the Prime Minister (Mr Kirk) and some I

Ministers, city councillors, representatives of community organisations and Govern- : ment departments and rep- : resentatives of secondary school pupils from the southern half of the North Island and Marlborough. The investiture lasted 50 minutes, after which the Queen returned to Government House to prepare for [[this afternoon’s State open[ing of Parliament.