South Islanders in Honours List

Press, 31 December 1977, Page 6

South Islanders in Honours List

South Islanders who have been honoured in the New Year’s Honours List, released from London yesterday, include a former Ambassador, a town planner, the founder of a museum, and people active in both community and local body service. A well-known Canterbury town planner. Miss Nancy Northcroft, has been awarded the 0.8. E. Miss Northcroft was regional planner for the Canterbury Regional Planning Authority from its inception in 1955 until she resigned in 1962 to become a private town-planning consultant. Before she joined the authority she had worked in Britain and Wellington, and she was town-planning officer for the Christchurch City Council for six years. She retired from active partnership in the firm of Davie, Lovell-Smith and Partners earlier this year. Miss Northcroft has been ill for some time.

The 0.8. E. has been awarded to Mr Edward Bickmore Ellison Taylor, a former Ambassador to Japan, and coroner in Christchurch for more than 20 years. He was born in Christchurch in 1906, and was educated at Christchurch Boys’ High School, and Canterbury University, where he graduated in law. and was an athletics blue from 1926-1930.

Mr Taylor practised law in Greymouth before World War 11, and in Christchurch from 1945 to 1961. He has been a member of the Canterbury District Law Society, the New Zealand Law Society, and the Canterbury University Council. He served as chairman of the Canterbury division of the National Party from 1946 to 1949, and was ProChancellor at Canterbury University from 1960 to 1961. Mr Taylor served as New Zealand Ambassador to Japan from 1961 to 1965. Mr Murray Thacker, of Okains Bay, founder of the Okains Bav Museum, has been awarded the Queen’s

Service Medal for community service. - Mr Thacker originally : bought the local cheese factory and transferred his collection of historic objects to i it. A pioneer cottage and i other buildings were later > added; the public opening was ’ about a year ago. The Christchurch City Council’s director of Parks , and Reserves (Mr H. G. Gil- . pin), has been awarded the , Queen’s Service Medal for public services. Mr Gilpin j was appointed director in j 1955, and was a former , assistant director. He began , his career 24 years earlier in ( a Christchurch nursery, and j was grounds superintendent for the North Canterbury ( Hospital Board. j The Queen’s Service Medal . for public service has been awarded to Mr E. R. Comer, ( J.P., of Temuka. Mr Comer, . a retired farmer, has served < on local bodies and in busi- j riesses allied to dairy farm- ( ing for many years. j He is a former chairman ( of the South Canterbury , Electric Power Board, and is , now chairman of directors of j the South Island Dairy As- ( sociation and South Canterbury Co-operative Cool . Stores, Ltd. Those who have been j awarded the Queen’s Service j Order for public services in- f elude Mr Peter Roselli, of , Westport. Mr Roselli, a pub- . lie accountant, has been active in community service and local government circles in Westport for many years. He is a former chairman of the Buller Power Board, and is now deputy chairman of the Westland Savings Bank. I The Queen’s Service Order for community service has also been awarded to the Rev. Malcolm Leadbetter, of Christchurch. Mr Leadbetter was bom in Britain, and has taught at Wellington College, St Andrew's College, Waimate High School, Southland Boys’ High School, and has been rector of Waitaki Boys’ High School. He retired from this post

in 1961, and was ordained to the Presbyterian ministry in 1962. Two Christchurch men have been made Members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (M.8.E.) They are Mr D. L. Fyfe and Mr I. J. Drabble. Mr Fyfe has worked in daily journalism since 1939, apart from five years service overseas during World War 11. He has been editor of farming news in “The Press” for nearly 20 years. He has won several awards for his reporting on agriculture and on farming research, processing and marketing. Mr Drabble is South Island group manager for Calder Mackay, Company, Ltd, and a Justice of the Peace. Mr P. N. G. Blaxall, of Christchurch, has been awarded the Queen’s Service Order for public services. Mr Blaxall is a former Christchurch city councillor and former chairman of the Christchurch Aged People’s Welfare Council. In 1976 he was appointed a member of the Social Development Council. A Lincoln man has been awarded the British Empire Medal. Flight Sergeant Murray Blakemore joined the Air Force in 1951 as an engine mechanic, and has had helicopter training. He is based at Wigram. Sir Michael Charles Charteris. of London, who has been awarded the Q. 5.0., is private secretary to the Queen, and Keeper of Her Majesty’s Archives. Mr Colin Quincey. of Auckland, has been awarded the M.B.E. “for displaying a remarkable feat of endurance by becoming the first person to row the Tasman Sea singlehanded from New Zealand to Australia.” An 0.8. E. has also been awarded to Miss Heather Begg (Mrs King) of Sydney. She has been a leading opera singer for almost 20 years, and has sung all over the world.