Former Labour leader one of 4 new knights

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33869, 14 June 1975, Page 1

Former Labour leader one of 4 new knights

Four new New Zealand knights are created in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List released yesterday. They include a former leader of the Labour Party and the present president. A former Labour Cabinet Minister is also the recipient of a top honour in the list.

Mr A. H. Nordmeyer, who was replaced as Leader of the then Opposition by the late Norman Kirk, is created a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (K.C.M.G.). His is the top honour in the New Zealand list.

Mr G. E. F. Wood, who has been chairman of the Consumer Council since 1959, is created a Knight Commander in the civil division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (K.8.E.).

The president of the Labour Party, Mr Charles Bennett, D.S.O.', who was a wartime commander of the Maori Battalion, is made a Knight Bachelor, as is Professor F. W. Holmes, who holds the chair of Money and Finance at the Victoria University of Wellington. Mr W. A. (Bill) Fox, who was a member of the Cabinet in the Government led by Sir Walter Nash, from 1957 to 1960, is one of four given the honour of Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (C.M.G.).

The others are Mr R. K. Davison, Q.C., a leading Auckland lawyer, Mr J. M. McEwen, who retired last month as the Secretary of Maori Affairs, and Mr A. G. Robb, a leading businessman and former chairman of the New Zealand Atomic Energy Committee. Naturalist Among those to receive the C.B.E. (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) are Mr M. J. Moriarty, a former Secretary of Trade and Industry, and Mr Justice Scully, Chief Justice of Western Samoa. Until his retirement in 1973, Mr Scully had been a stipendiary magistrate in Wellington for 24 years; and he has been resident in Apia since last year. Another C.B.E. is Mrs Perrine Moncrieff, a recognised naturalist and conservationist from Nelson, who was also a founder member of the Abel Tasman National Park Board. The Military Division of the Honours list is headed by the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral E. C. Thorne, who becomes a Companion of the Bath (C. 8. Conductor Among those receiving the 0.8. E. (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the Brit-

ish Empire) are Iris, Lady Kitts, the wife of the formec Mayor of Wellington. Sir Francis Kitts, Mr H. E. (Dooley) Coxhead, of Timaru, who has been a leader in the tourist industry, and Mr Juan Matteucci, a former conductor of the N.Z.B.C. Symphony Orchestra and present conductor of the Auckland Symphonia.

Others awarded the 0.8. E. include Mr C. N. Mackenzie, the president of the Counties Association and chairman of Waipara County, and one of New Zealand's best-known journalists, Mr F. W. G. Miller, who was with newspapers in Otago and Southland between 1922 and 1973 and is the author of a number of books on the areas. A former Secretary for Justice, Mr E. A. Missen, is also awarded the 0.8. E. The newly - introduced honours, the Queen’s Services Order and the Queen’s Ser- ! vice Medal, have been i , awarded to 11 and 32; recipients respectively. Among those receiving the ; Q.S.O. are Mr L. G. K. Ste-l ven, of Christchurch, whose i honour is in recognition of ■ service to the community, § particularly through the I Crippled Children Society,; of which he is a former Dominion president. Mr M.; Janes, who was private sec-; retary to successive Minis-; ters of Works from the late > Mr Robert Semple to Mi Hugh Watt, is also awarded the Q.S.O. Others in this list i include Mr R. Boord, the Mayor of Rotorua and Mini- | ster of Customs in the Nash Government and Mr R. Love, a former Mayor of Petone.