A DESERVED HONOUR

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 182, 28 April 1921, Page 6

A DESERVED HONOUR

“ELISABETH REINE DE BELGES”

MEDAL FOR M KS. J. T; PINFOLD

During the war a great number of Belgian refugees took up their residence in England, in many cases- after they had suffered, physically as well as materially, by the German invasion. Whilst tho people of England did all they could to make these people comfortable, it occurred to Mrs. Pinfold (wife of the Rev. Dr. J. T. Pinfold), then of Dunedin, that something could be done to assist the Mother Country, if clothes were sent Home for the refugees, and, as president of the Women’s Guild, working in Dunedin, she made an appeal throughout the country for contributions of suitable clothing, with surprising results. Clothes of all sorts began to pour in from every town, and the Early Settlflrs’ Hall in Dunedin was made the headquarters of the movement, which became so big that it was finally taken over by the Overseas Club. The clothes were found to be most welcome in England. Nothing more was heard of the matter until a few days ago, when Mrs. Pinfold received a letter from the Belgian Consul in Wellington (Mr. H. Johnston), informing hew that the King of the Belgians had been pleased to bestow upon her the medal of "Elisabeth, Reine de Beiges," and that this would be handed, to her if she would call at the Consulate. This Mrs. Pinfold did, and the medal and accompanying certificate were given her by the Consul, who, in so doing, thanked her heartily for the good work she had initiated, and congratulated her on its recognition by the King, whose subjects she had assisted in their distress.

The medal, of most artistic design, is of bronze, and is suspended from a blue and magenta ribbon. On one side: appears in low relief a seated female figure in attendance on the symbolic lamp of charity, encircled by the words—“P.ro Patria, Honour et Caritate,” and on the reverse side is a bolder relief of Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, founder of the Order. The certificate reads as follows: — “Royaumme de Belgique, Le Minietre de Affaires Etrangeres: A I'honneur do faire connaitre a Madam Pinfold, a Wellington, que pour reconnoitre le denouement done elle a’fait revue dans les seuvres de guerre il a plu an Roi de lui conferee par arreto. En date due 16 Juiller, 1920. Medaille du la Reine Elisabeth.”—H. Johnston." Dr. and Sirs. Pinfold now reside at Karori.