Farewell honours for ‘people’s Governor’

Press, 24 October 1980, Page 2

Farewell honours for ‘people’s Governor’

Bv

BRIAR WHITEHEAD

In a ceremony and State luncheon lasting more than three . hours yesterday, the Services, the public, and 320 official guests bade farewell to Sir Keith Holyoake “the people’s Governor-General;” and “One of the most distinguished of New Zealanders.”

At the luncheon, Sir Keithl laid claim to the first title, and denied the second. “We have never pretended to be anything other than ordinary, everyday Kiwis,” he said. . '/

It was people who imagined .you were something else, he said:' His appointment as a Knight Companion of the Most* Noble Order of the Garter-..was of this kind. The Queen had decided it'was time a New'.-Zealander should’ have ■ the ; Garter;, it was,not- personally for him. . “I didn’t know this business Was on today,” he-said of the insignia: of the Queen’s Service Order presented to . him ; by the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon). '. - .4 • " - Sir Keith yesterday was made a Companion of the Queen’s Service ’.Order for public services, and Dame Norma, a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order for community service. The luncheon,’ was addressed by Mr /Muldoon, the .leader of the (Opposition (Mr Rowling), and-Sir Keith. Faced with’ his last official speech in 48 years as • a member -of Parliament^.'the nostalgia was almost- Overwhelming, and he .scarcely knew where to begin, Sir Keith said. • <. He referred’ to the lifelong friendships made .with both National. and Labour members of Parliament through years in. the debat-

ing chamber, and the “bond”! he had with the Leader ofii the Opposition in spite of|i political differences. He lauded the democratic 1 political system, “warts and all.” It was the most difficult system of government men had ever devised, but it assured the greatest degree i of individual ’ freedom and

personal choice. Members of Parliament should cling to it. Member’s should speak their opinions strongly. Let the critics come. That was the stuff of democracy, and critics had a right to offer themselves as political candidates.

He had always been treated with courtesy, dignity, and generosity by the Maori people — that was

their way. His appointment: as a kaumatua (elder and; chief) of the Wellington! Ngati Poneke tribe was its highest honour to a pakeha. Sir Keith saluted his wife. At times wives of public figures wished husbands had i never' been nominated to i office. Dame Norma had been understanding, com-]

passionate, and loyal

In a brief allusion to the National Party leadership challenge, he assumed that his inability to .be anything other than “Kiwi Keith” was similar to Mr Muldoon’s impasse over his style and nature.

Mr Muldoon described Sir Keith as a man who would be remembered with affection, and in the longer perspective of the history books

entered as one of the most ; distinguished of New Zea- ' landers. He was essentially a team man, a toiler in the front row , rather than a shiner, but nonetheless a leader, i modest, and ever conscious jof the uncertainties -of a jpoiitical career. I He was a fourth-gen-eration New Zealander, third in a family of seven. He had] left school at the age of 12. “From then on he made his own way, tried, tested and| never found wanting,” Mrj Muldoon said. Mr Rowling said that the) careers of Sir Keith and! Dame Norma were without! parallel in Commonwealth! political life. Both were very! real New Zealanders. He said that his grandfather and Sir Keith’s father owned adjacent farms near Motueka. It had still not been resolved who was on the right side of the fence. Sir Keith replied sociably that at least he had never sat on it. He said he remembered as a child attentively absorbing the wisdom of Mr Rowling’s grandfather, and wondered how more had not been handed pn to his grandson. Upon arrival at Parliament Buildings yesterday, Sir Keith took the Royal salute from a tri-Service guard of honour after which the battery at Point Jerningham fired a 21.-gun salute. Sir David Beattie will be .sworn in as Governor-Gen-eral on November 6.In two minor incidents, five members of the guard of honour fainted as the luncheon ran an hour overtime, and the Governor-Gen-eral’s flag had to be remounted on the Beehive centrepole as it was noticed beginning to unfurl upside down.