Sir Denis has had to ‘sack’ himself

Press, 6 October 1977, Page 3

Sir Denis has had to ‘sack’ himself

PA Wellington 11 The retiring Governor-1-General (Sir Denis Blundell)' has had to “sack” himself so i that he can stay on in New Zealand. j The Prime Minister (Mr |; Muldoon) revealed this 1 yesterday at a farewell State i luncheon for Sir Denis and I Lady Blundell. He explained that the;; Vice-Regal “sacking” was a|l result of the lack of provi- ; sion for an Administrator to be appointed except when a ; Governor-General dies in : office or leaves New Zealand. The Chief Justice (Sirjl Richard Wild) will be sworn in as Administrator today! and will act in place of the! Governor-General until Sir. Keith Holyoake takes office! on October 26. ji Sir Denis’s five-year term! was due to end on I September 27 but was extended by the Queen until, yesterday because Mr Mui-! doon was overseas. Because he is the first', Governor-General to stay on • in New Zealand, the problem arose of appointing an i Administrator to act until Sir Keith is sworn in. “With Sir Denis remaining here and very much alive — I believe he has run several; A.D.C.s into the boards at squash — the only sensible; course then was to ask Sir ;Denis to ask Her Majesty to! revoke his commission,” Mrii Muldoon said. “In effect, to meet the 1

[situation created by his i staying in this country, he was asked to sack himself.” I Sir Denis and Lady Blundell were both made com- 1 panions of the Queen’s; (Service Order (Q. 5.0. at’. I yesterday’s luncheon. The; ‘presentations of the insignia. l of the Order were made byMr Muldoon. I It is the first time a joint; I presentation of the Q.S.O. | I has been made to a husband and wife. Lady Blundell received thei award for community service. The Order was established! by the former Government! |for service in New Zealand. ! M r Muldoon also I presented Sir Denis with a I watch and Lady Blundell ! with a brooch as gifts from' I the Government and people !of New Zealand. I Paying a tribute to Sir I Denis, Mr Muldoon said: “He not only brought great' .talents to the position but a deep knowledge and understanding of our people — 'gained in peace and in war — and of the problems that; face our country internally; and internationally.” Lady Blundell had been! generous in her support for! many causes, Mr Muldoon; said. "His Excellency has done' perhaps more than anyone 1 , I else in explaining to people, 'of all ages, particularly, j young people with whom hei ! quickly establishes commun-, i ication, what the office of - Governor-General is all

about and what the Monarchy means in presentday terms in a changing world where old-established ' values are in question,” Mr [Muldoon said. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) said that' I Sir Denis and Lady Blundell! had shown themselves to be' , people deeply concerned [ with the well-being of others. I “Neither I, nor my colleagues, will forget the sympathy and understanding I . I shown by Sir Denis and Lady Blundell to the family lof the late Mr Norman I Kirk,” he said. • i Mr Rowling said he could 1 not have wished for a better relationship than he had with Sir Denis when he was Prime Minister. • Replying Sir Denis said: “We have tried to do our duty as we saw it.” No-one had taken advantage of the fact that he and Lady Blundell were New Zealanders, he said. “There is nothing that would undermine this office [ more than undue familiarity,” he said. i Lady Blundell said she ‘hoped her husband would be; , remembered as the Gover- 1 Hnor-General of the people. I ; “The Guv of the people, — that is what he would! like to be remembered for, ‘lmost,” she said. i Sir Denis was given a 21-; ‘igun Royal salute, fired at[ (Point Jemingham, when he! [arrived at Parliament House, for the State luncheon, and; 'inspected a guard of honour’ from the Armed Services.