Mr Hilgendorf one of three knights, dame

Press, 31 December 1980, Page 1

Mr Hilgendorf one of three knights, dame

A Mid-Canterbury farmer and former chairman of the Meat Board has received one of four knighthoods in the New Year Honours List issued by Government House yesterday. Sir Charles Hilgendorf, who was a member of the board for 20 years and its chairman for nine, shares the highest honours with an 88-year-old Maori landmarch leader, a Pacific island Premier, and an Auckland businessman.

Heading the list is Mrs Whina Cooper, leader of the Maori land march and founder of Te Roopu o te Matakite movement, who is made a Dame Commander of the Most Ex-, cellent Order of the British Empire. Dame Whina was made a C.B.E. in 1974. Dr Thomas Davis, Premier of the Cook Islands, becomes a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (K.8.E.). Mr Austin George Wilson, an Auckland businessman and former chairman of N.Z. Forest Prod-

ucts, has been created Knight Bachelor. Dame Whina, of Panmure, Auckland, was Dominion president of the Maori Women’s Welfare League for six years from 1951 and is a foundation member of the Waitemata District Council of the league.

In 1975, she became known throughout New Zealand for leading, at the age of 83, a small band of Maori land protestors on an 1100 km trek from Te Hapua, in north Auckland, to Wellington. By the end of the journey the marchers numbered several thousands. Because breakaway groups used the original name of the marchers, Dame Whina’s organisation changed its name to Matakite o Aotearoa. It dedicated itself to the retention of Maori land.

Dame Whina was in Christchurch a year later accompanied by the “Pouwhenua," the standard and symbol of the march. While here she made an eloquent plea for political parties and local

bodies tb stop “nibbling away” at Maori land. She receives her honour for her services to the Maori people. The citation says that her dynamic leadership, limitless _ experience, depth of vision, and understanding of humanity are qualities which hold her in the highest esteem of her people. Sir Thomas, whose career has spanned medicine, space research, and politics, spent much of his working life in the United States. He was born in Aviatiu, in the Cook Group’s main island of Rarotonga, in 1917. He is of mixed ancestry and names a Welsh sea captain as one of his grandfathers. He qualified in medicine at the University of Otago.? in 1943 and then distinguished himself in postgraduate work at Sydney University before returning to the Cook Islands to become medical officer of the island’s medical service. In the early days of the United States' space pro-

gramme he joined the National Aeronautics and. Space Administration, becoming chief of environmental medicine at the Arctic Aeromedical Laboratory in Alaska and then medical monitor for Project Mercury from 1960 to 1963. After almost 20 years m the United States,. Sir Thomas returned to the Cook Islands as chief medical officer under the Premiership of the (then Sir) Albert Henry. Nine years ago he formed the Cook Islands Democratic Partv and became Premier in '1978, replacing Mr Henry. His award is for services to medicine and the people of the Cook Islands. Sir Charles was born at Lincoln in 1908 and graduated as a master of arts from the University of Canterbury. Most of his early years were spent farming at Sherwood, between Rakaia and Methven, in Mid-Canterbury. He returned to the farm earlier this year after retiring from a lifetime of local body and business involvement. He is a former member of the Ashburton Electric Power Board and was president of Mid-Canterbury Federated Fanners from 1947 to 1951. He is a former Nuffield fanning scholar. He became a member of the Meat Board in 1961 and was appointed its chairman in 1972, assuming responsibility for an industry which provided about half of New Zealand’s overseas earnings. He was also a member of the electoral committee of the Meat Board and the Wool Board and a member of the council of the dominion wool and meat

section of Federated Farmers. He has been a member and deputy chairman of the Lincoln College board of governors, a member of the council of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and a member, and deputy chairman, of the University Grants Committee. , As chairman of the Meat Board. Sir Charles earned a reputation as a strong and independent leader, prepared to stand up against governments if he believed it to be in the interests of the industry. He has been a strong upholder of private enterprise in meat marketing but was prepared to let the board intervene in the meat market when exporters were pessimistic about market prospects. In 1971 he was created a C.M.G. In 1978 he received an honorary doctorate in law from Lincoln College. He has received his knighthood for public senves especially as chairman of the Meat Board. Sir Austin is knighted for his services to commerce and the community. He has been a member and chairman of a number of boards of directors for many years. He is at present chairman of N.Z.I. Finance, Ltd, and the Auckland Gas Company. A former Minister of the Crown, Mr Geoffrey Gerard, of the Rakaia f Gorge, is one of three men appointed as Companions j of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and § St George ( - . -)■

The. others .are the chairman of the Wool Board, Mr John Clarke, of Clinton, South Otago, and the recently retired Secretary to the Treasury. Mr Noel- Lough, of Eastbourne.

f'-.Mr Berard was member of /’ajliament for Ashburtohifronl 1913 to 1966. He held Cabinet posts in 1957 and/from . 1960 to 1966. His portfolios included Marine, ’Social Security, Lands, iand Forests. He has served on the Nature Conservation Council. He was born in 1904-at Snowden ’ station, Rakaia Gorge. He was educated at Christ’s College and after leaving school worked as a shepherd and farmhand. He then bought a farm at Motat 'Hutt which was later taken over by his sons. , , . In 1968, after he had resigned from politics, he was appointed to the Lyttelton’Harbour Board. This year, aged 76, he retired from the board and from al! public life. The' Well known artist Rei Hainon, who lives in Thames, is one of six people to be made a Commander of the Order of the * British Empire (C.8.E.). This honour is for services to art. He has become internationally known for his drawings of New Zealand native fauna and flora. One of his works was New Zealand’s Silver Jubilee gift to the Queen. One of New Zealand's best known potters, Miss Doreen ’.-Vera Blumhardt, of Wellington, receives the C.B.E. Her work is found in many New Zealand and overseas, galleries and institutions. She has taught weaving, pottery, and art for 40 years. She is the vice-president of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Art. Mrs M. W. M. Lythgoe, • of .Waikanae, is awarded the C.B.E. for 'services to nursing. A former secretary and presidents of pie Nurses's AssW'htipnJbpd a nurse advised tb lln>?lnternational Council of Nurses in Geneva, she was the chairman- of the*. international Year of the Child

theme committee and a member of-tiie ’I.Y.C. Telethon Trust Board. Dr A. W, B. Powell, of Auckland,’' the author of 107- papers and books, receives the C;B.E. for services to' science. For nearly 40 years' he was the conchologist and paleontologist at the Auckland Institute and Museum.

The chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board. Dr Frank Rutter, and- the recently retired directorgeneral of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr.. E. I. Robertson of Wellington, also receive the C.B.E. ,

The chairman of the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council, Mr Hamish Keith, who retires today, and the well known Wellington cartoonist, Neville Lodge, are among 16 persons to become Officers of the Civil* Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (0.8. E.

Mr Keith has been the council’s chairman since 1975.

Mr G. C. . Cruickshank, of ‘ Invercargill, receives tha 0.8. E. for his services to trotting. A prominent horse owner and breeder,, he was oh the executive of the Trotting Conference from 1950 until 1979 and was its .president for five years. He is a member of the Racing Authority and of the Totalisator Agency Board.

-■A - Hamilton' accountant and squash player, Mr ,M.. C. Day, who is chairman of ..the International Squash Rackets Federation, is awarded the 0.8. E. for his services to squash. The 0.8. E. also goes to Mr B. L. Ebbett, of Palmerston North, for his-ser-vices to the dairy, industry. He is a member nf the Dairy Board, the Meat Board, and a former chair- ‘ man , of the Dairy ’ search Institute. • Mr S. C. Hav. chairman of the Eden Park Trust Board receives the-0.8.E. for services to the community.'He has spent 2p years, working to develop the park and as a member of a number of boards. - The ' chairman of fae board tit'WStfeeis for the daticn for ftie Blind, Mr

D. M. McKenzie, is awarded, the 0.8. E. Blind since the age of seven, Mr McKenzie has been honoured for his services to, physiotherapy - and the blind. , i '.. .The .first New Zealander to become international president of Lions International, Mr L. Morgan, of Wellington, receives the 0.8. E. He is only the third' president in the 60-year history of Lions Clubs to come ifrom outside the Americas. .’ Dr J. W. E. Raine, of Wellington, is honoured for his services to medicine. A past president of the . Medical Association, he is an examiner in surgery for the Royal Australasian . College of Surgeons.

An Auckland anaesthetist, Dr W. J. Watt, K.St.J., is awarded, the 0.8. E. for his services to anaesthetics and the community. He is on the executive of the New Zealand Society of Anaesthetists, is the first dean of the faculty of anaesthetics of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons; and is the medical director of the Auckland .division of the St John Ambulance Association. Sincfe 1958 he has been director of anaesthetic services for the Auckland Hospital Board. A Dunedin City councillor, Mrs lona Williams, and the musical director of. the Auckland Choral Society, Mr R. R. Roberts, are recipients of the 0.8. E. " Mr N. T. V. Gusscott, of Lower Hutt, who was recently awarded the National Council of Churches’ Nansen Award, is one of six persons to be made a Companion of the Queen’s Service Order for Community Service. He has been president of the St Vincent de Paul Society, chairman of the Catholic Immigration Committee, and recently retired as an executive member of the “Leper. Man" Trust. A' former vice-president and member of the Pluni ket Society for 20 years, Mrs'K. Mullins, of Auckland, receives the Q.S.O. Mrs. A. M. West, a member of the KaitaiA Country Women’s 3B years, also .recgives the Q.S.O. . Among- eight people to be maiteljtompanions of the Queeftls I .Service Order -for Services J. AlJingham;<wtiQ‘iwas chairman ofjS trfiteport •licensing authority im/Auckland for 17 served for l&,yeats,.qn .tbi Mourn Eden* .Borough--/.' 'Council, nin< > depdty J who was director -q/ the/ -National Mtiyiim - .’Win 1966 to mu-

Dependency Research Committee,' . the Historic Places Trust, the U.N.E.S.C.O. science subcommittee, and the Wellington branch, of the Royal Society of New Zealand. His wife is Dame Miriam Dell, D.B.E. A member of the Wellington City Council since 1959, Mr S. H. J. Duff, also receives the Q.S.O. Twenty-three New Zealanders have been created members of the Civil Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (M.8.E.). Mr Wadier Assid Corban, of Henderson, receives the M.B.E. for ser vices to the viticultural industry. Mr Corban is the oldest surviving member of the original Corban

family in New Zealand. He was winemaker to the Corban vineyards for 40 years. He retired from active work in 1968 but remained a director until 1973. During his career, he revived the dormant Viticultural Association in 1916 and became its chairman. He was instrumental in the establishment of the New Zealand Wine Council and then the New Zealand Winemakers’ Federation to represent the industry nationally. The M.B.E. is also awarded to Mr Clarence Alfred Healey, of Wanganui, for services to rowing. He was stroke to the first New Zealand eightoar crew sent to Australia in 1925 and was subsequently selected for the 1928 Olympics but did not compete because of lack of finance. He was coach to New Zealand crews in 1932 and the 1952 and 1956 Olympics and was a New Zealand rowing selector from 1950 to 1956. Mr Ashley Robert Lewis, of Lower Hutt, who was operations manager for the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation’s coverage of the Christchurch Commonwealth Games, receives the M.B.E. He has had a long career in radio and television and is at present controller of programme services for Television New Zealand. Mr Hemi Wiremu, of London, is rewarded for his services to New Zealand interests in Britain. He was for many years, until his recent retirement, reception secretary at New Zealand House. He joined the staff of the High Commission after the war. He had; earlier served in the Maori Battalion during World War 11, rising to the rank of captain. •He'Avas a prisoner of :,war ’for fouf years. ■ . ■> - Queen's Service Medals for’ Cfflriffinity ! Service (Q.S.M.) are awarded , to 23 people/ including a >ra- . plegic from fialclutha who - a 3S£9s«

an accident in a mine in 1951. As therapy he began making leather goods which turned into a thriving business. Besides the industry, he has since opened a tea kiosk :and the two concerns have become a tourist stop-over south of Balclutha.

The Q.S.M. is awarded the keeper of one of New Zealand’s smallest telephone exchanges. Mrs Dorothy Waititi has, since 1960, run a one-woman exchange from her ( own home at Cape Runaway. She has, devoted much of her life to the caring and rearing of young , Maori orphans, and helping youths placed in the care of the Social Welfare Department. . ”

Queen’s Service Medals for Public Services (Q.S.M.) include an award to Mrs Alice Marjorie Fieldhouse, of Wellington, a founding member of-the Mental Health Foundation. She represented the foundation on the International Year of the Child Commission.

Mrs Fieldhouse is a registered and obstetric nurse and holds a Plunket nurse certificate and a diploma of nursing. She is an adviser to the Parent Centres Federation, a member of the Federation of University Women, and a member, of the Nurses Association.

Three firemen are awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal and four members of the police are honoured. The Deputy Commissioner of: Police, Mr K. O. Thompson, is awarded the Queen’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service (Q.P.M.). (Q.P.M.). Topping the military list is Air Vice-Marshal David Jamieson, of Wellington, who is made a Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C. 8. The Army’s highestranked non-commissioned officer, Warrant Officer Robert Biankley, ’is awarded the M.B.E. Warrant Officer Biankley, of the Royal New Zealand Artillery, has held appointment as Sergeant Major of the Army for the last year. He served in Korea from 1952 to 1954, leaving there with the rank of Battery Sergeant Major. At the age of 22, he was the youngest serving soldier to reach that rank.