Knighthood for entrepreneur

Press, 30 December 1978, Page 1

Knighthood for entrepreneur

A Christchurch man is one of four new New Zealand knights named in the New Year Honours List, which has been announced in London.

Mr Robertson Huntly Stewart, the chairman and managing director of P.D.L. Holdings, Ltd, and several subsidiary companies, has been made a Knight Bachelor (K. 8. for his services to manufacturing and to the community. He was awarded the C.B.E. in 1970. Mr Justice Gaven John Donne, Chief Justice of the High Court of the Cook Islands and Chief Justice of Niue, and Mr Hepi Hoani Te Heu Heu, of Taumarunui, the paramount chief of the Ngati Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board, have been made Knight Commanders of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Mr Joseph Holmes Miller, of Wellington, has been made a Knight Bachelor for services to the Ross Dependency, conservation, and surveying. Mr Miller was awarded the 0.8. E. in 1958. Other Christchurch men honoured are Mr D. W. Bain, Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (C.M.G.); Mr P. J. Skellerup, Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (C.8.E.); Dr T. E. Hall, Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (0.8. E. Mr R. A. Milne, 0.8. E.; Mr A. J. Scott, 0.8. E.; and Mr A. D. Talbot, 0.8. E. Sir Robert Stewart has been a director of the Development Finance Corporation, honorary Malaysian Consul in 1975, and

served on the Christchurch City Council from 1969 to 1972. He is a past national president of the Manufacturers’ Federation, and was a founder member of the New Zealand Council for Technical Education and the Medical Research Foundation. He has led six trade missions to South-East Asia, including the first, in 1964. He also led the first trade mission to the Pacific Islands in 1962. He is a fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management, the new Zealand Institute of Directors, a member of the council organising the Pan Pacific Arts Festivals, a member of the Southern Ballet Trust Council, and a founder of the Christchurch South Rotary Club. Sir Robert has been a generous donor to several Christchurch organisations. Sir Gaven Donne set an international precedent in July when he ruled that the Premier of the Cook Islands, Sir Albert Henry, be removed from office. He has been Chief Judge of the High Court and the Land Court in the Cook Islands since 1975, and has also been Head of State in the Cooks for several years. He was a New Zealand stipendiary magistrate from 1958 to 1975, a puisne judge of the Supreme Court from 1970 to 1971, and Chief Justice of Western Samoa from 1972 to 1975. He has been Chief Justice and chief judge of the Land Court, Niue, since 1974.

Sir Hepi Hoani Te Heu Heu is chairman of several tribal trusts in the central North Island, and

has also been a member of the Tongariro National Park Board and the Waitangi Trust Board. Sir Hepi has been paramount chief Of the Ngati Tuwharetoa since 1944, when he succeeded his father.

Sir Joseph Miller led the 1955-58 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition with Sir Edmund Hillary, and established Scott Base in 1956. He has been chairman of the Ross Dependency Research Committee since 1971, and a member of the National Geographic Board since 1962. He holds the Polar Medal.

Sir Joseph is a senior partner in a Wellington firm of civil engineers and registered surveyors, and is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Surveying. He was a member of the council and executive of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors for 11 years. The Most Rev. John Macey Rodgers, S.M., an auxiliary bishop of the

Auckland Roman Catholic Diocese, is one of the three persons named as Companions of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (C.M.G.). His award is for services as Roman Catholic bishop in Tonga and the Cook Islands from 1954 to 1977. Mr John Mills, of Auckland, receives the C.M.G. for his services as a Crown solicitor between 1951 and 1977. He is now a temporary judge of the Supreme Court. Among those to receive the 0.8. E. is the pop singer, John Rowles, whose address is given as Honolulu, Hawaii. His citation says that he is one of the few New Zealand entertainers to reach international status as a singer and composer. His award is for services to entertainment and New Zealand interests in the United States. The 0.8. E. has also been awarded to the Aus-tralian-born pop star, Olivia Newton-John, of

“Grease” fame, fcrr her services to the performing arts.

Of the women who appear in the list, Mrs Naomi James, the New Zea 1 a n d-born circumnavigating sailor, is made a Dame of the Order of the British Empire (D.8.E.). Gracie Fields, now aged 80, a former giant of the English music hall, has also been made D.B.E.

Of the other Christchurch men to be honoured, Mr Bain has been awarded the C.M.G. for services to education. Mr

Bain is chairman of the Lincoln College Council, and served from 1947 to 1974 on the University of Canterbury Council. He was the University's first Chancellor, from 1958 to 1959.

Mr Bain was financial editor of the "Christchurch Star-Sun” from 1934 to 1941, and has been a .director of two Christchurch companies.

The University of Canterbury conferred on him the honorary degree of doctor of laws in 1977. Mr Bain was awarded the M.B.E. in 1965.

Mr Skellerup has been awarded the C.B.E. for ser-

vices to the City of Christchurch. Mr Skellerup is Deputy Mayor of Christchurch, and has been a member of the Christchurch City Council since 1958. He has been chairman of the Canterbury Museum Trust Board since 1974. Mr Skellerup is joint managing director of Skellerup Industries, Ltd, and is a director of 20 subsidiary companies. Dr Hall, who was the Medical Superintendent at Sunnyside Hospital until October, has been awarded the 0.8. E. He is said to have made the hospital one of the leading psychiatric institutions in New Zealand by innovative changes in treatment of administration. Mr Scott has been awarded the 0.8. E. for services to the community. Mr Scott has had a long association with business, community, and church organisations. He was chairman of the Christchurch Stock Exchange from 1948 to 1950, a member of the North Canterbury Hospital Board fr< m 1947 to 1950 and ,n executive of the St Georges Hospital from 1943 to 1970. Mr Scott was president of the Scout Associate in of Canterbury from 1944 to 1962. The manager of the National Band of New Zealand. Mr Alan Brieseman, of Mosgiel, receives the 0.8. E. Mr E. G. Buckton. private secretary to'Ministers of the Crown since 1944 and principal private secretary to the Prune Minister from 1976, is awarded the Queen’s Service Order (Q. 5.0. for public service. Additional details. Pages 2, 3, and 8.