Award explained

Press, 29 July 1978, Page 6

Award explained

A Governor-General has; presented the award of the’ Queen’s Commendation fori Brave Conduct only once in the last 25 years, to the knowledge of the New Zea- 1 land Herald of Arms (Mr P. P. O’Shea). “A .d there were unusual circumstances in' that case,’’ he said. Mr O’Shea said the decor-j ation could be regarded as the peace-time equivalent of• the military Mention in Dis-; patches. ‘The award has no prece-l rlence in relation to official' decorations, orders and medals. However, the emblem of the award, a silver laurel leaf, may be worn in the[ position of medal ribbons.’’ j Mr O'Shea was comment-'

:[ing about a complaint by Mrs] (IS. Crichton, wife of the pri■lson officer who won the I i award for his part in the violent Addington break-out last! ■I year. The Minister of Social Wel- ; fare (Mr Walker) had been i' asked to present the award, bu» Mrs Crichton said the • [iob should have been done ; by the Gov°nor-General. or lithe Minister of Justice. ■j The whole ;.u ir had been very badly handled, and the; • occasion had lost all its I dignity, she said. li "As far as T ’m concerned, i I don’t care now if the I Governor-General doesn’t i present it,” she said. Her I original complaint had been •'that the matter had been

shuttled on to a man who had no connection with the [Justice Department. I If the Governor-General I had not been able to make this presentation, then the Minister of Justice or the Secretary for Justice could have done so. She had nothing against Mr Walker, but even Mr N. J. Kirk would have been more suitable, she said. because Addington Prison was in his electorate.

• In any event, the prison, where the presentation was to have taken place, was being rebuilt, the chosen room was “dirty, dingy and a disgrace for a dog show,” said Mrs Crichton.