NEW YEAR HONOURS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19215, 2 January 1926, Page 10

NEW YEAR HONOURS.

SIX NEW ZEALANDERS, TWO PRIVY COUNCILLORS. PREMIER AND SIR F. BELL. MR. HENRY 3RETT KNiGHTFD. The Govemor-G mural has received advico that on the ccc3sion of the Now Year His Majesty the King has been graciously pleasec; to confer the following honours:— PRIVY COUNCILLOR. The Honourable Joseph Gordon Coates, M.C., H.P., Prim Minister of New Zealand. The Honour ib le 'Sir Francis Henry Eillon Bell, G.C.M.G-., K.C., AttorneyGeneral, Minister for External Affairs, and Leader of (lie Legislative Council. G.C.M.G. , (Knight Grand Cross of tho Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George.) The Hcrournble Sir James Allen, K. 0.8., H gh Commissioner for New Zealand in London. MIGHT BACHELOR. Mr. Henry Brett, of Auckland. Mr. He:uy Francis V/igram, of Christchurch. C.M.G. (Companion of tho Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George.) Mr. Frederick William Furkert, En-gincer-in-Chief and Under-Secretary of the Public Works Department.

THE BRITISH LIST. TWO NEW VISCOUNTS. KNIGHTHOOD FOR BERMUDAS. Australia] and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 10.51: p.m.) LONDON, Dec. SI. The folic wing New Year honours are announced:— VISCOUNTS. Baron D'Aberon, Ambassador Extraordinary a; id Plenipotentiary to Berlin. Baron liunedlin, Keeper of the Great Seal of tho Principality of Scotland. BARONS. Rt. Hon. Sir Ernest Murray Pollock, Master of tbe Rolls since 1923. He was chairman of the Contraband Committee and controllu? of the Foreign Trade Department during tho war. Ho held the offices of Solicitor-General and AttorneyGeneral successively from 1919 to 1922. Baron Orar.raore and Browne. He hua been a representative peer for Ireland, and is now cmited a baron of the United Kingdom. Be was a member of the Irish Convention in 1917-18. GRAND ORG'SS OF THE BATH. Earl of Cavan. He has been Chief; of the Imperial Gt .iei'.il Staff since 1922; 130MMANDEU OF THE BATH. Air Vice-Marsiu.l Sir William Geoffrey Hanson Salmoml, Director-General of Supply and Research in the Air Ministry, 1922. KNIGHT BACHELOR. Mr. Kenneth Bi\itty, Chief Justice of the Bermudas sinct> 1924. Hei is an Australian, having been educated in the University High School, Melbourne, and in the Melbourne University, British Presn Comment. The Morning Pctv.''. emphasises the brevity of the honours list as sustaining the new tradition established since the coalition Government (ell. It adds that such a recognition of Dominion statesmanship as the Prr'y Councillorships conferred on Mr. Coated and Sir Francis Bell will bo as populav here as overseas, while satisfaction w'll be felt again at the knighthoods repi tentative of the public men of tho Domini >ns.

RT. HON. J. G. COATvi'tf, P. 0., M.C. New Zealand's new Prime Minister, who in the normal course of events has been elevated to the Privy Council, will be one of its youngest r,\umbers, being 48 years of age. He is, however, eight years older than the Prinu) Minister of Australia, Mr. S. M. Brine, who was admitted in 1923, and who shares with him the distinction of hal ing won the Military Cross in the late war. Mr. Coates* career is so well knov.m as scarcely to need description. He was born at Matakohe, North Auckland, in 1378, and became a successful farmer serving on various local bodies and as a volunteer and territorial officer. In 1911 he wan elected to the House of Representatives for Kaipara as an Independent, but gave allegiance to the Reform Pi.rty when iti took office in 1912. Ho volunteered for activ i service in 1916, and spent two years iii France, rising to the rank of major. He received the Military Cross for conspicuous bravery in an attack at La Basserriillo in July, 1917, and a bar to the decoration for even greater distinction in the desperate fight at Mf.illy-Maillet on Ma.nh 26, 1918, Not long after his return Ijo New Zealand the following year ha entered the Cabinet as Postmaster-General and Minister for Justice. Seven months later hoi succeeded Sir William Fraser as Minister for Public Works. In thir; new field of work he made sweeping administrative changes, and laid down a progressive policy of development works which has marked a now epoch in the Dominion's history. In June, 1923, he was made Minister for Railways, with even more revolutionary results. In May, 1925, following the death of Mr. Massey, he jvas made Prime Minister by the unanimous vote oE the supporters oi the lato Government, and at the recent general election he was returned to office with a majority of 24 in a House of 80, the fruits of an overwhelming personal victory.

RT. HON. SIR FRANCxS BELL, PC., G.C.1,1.G.

First New Zailand-born Prime Minister of New Zealand, and for years the acknowledged leader of the New Zealand Ear, Sir Francis Henry Dillon Bell has a record of Imperial service which, well fits him for admission to the Privy Council. Born at Nelson in 1851, he was the son of Sir Francis Dillon Bell, who became Colonial Treasurer in the first Ministry formed after the establishment of responsible government in 1856, and who served as Agent-General for New Zealand in London from 1880 to 1890. He was educated at the Anckland Grammar School, the Otago Boys' High School, and St. John's College, Cambridge. ' Admitted to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1874, ho entered practice in Wellington, where for many years he was Crown Solicitor. He appeared before the Privy Council in London in several important New Zealand cases, and was made a K.C. in 1907. It was not till 1893 that he entered Parliament as a member for Wellington City, having: contested two earlier elections without success. His career as a member of the Lower House lasted only three years, But in 1912, upon tha accession of the Reform Party to power, he was appointed to the Legislative Council as its leader, with the portfolios of Internal Affairs and Immigration. In 1918 he was made AttorneyGeneral, and as tha first Commissioner of Shite Forests ho had a large share in creating the State Forest Service. In 1921 he acted as Prime Minister during Mr. Massey's absence st the Imperial Conference and in the following year he headed the Nevr Zealand delegation at

the third Assembly of the League of Nations, bringing himself into prominenco by a spirited defence of the Dominion's administration of the Samoa mandate. Sir Francis became Prime Minister on May 14, 1925, upon the death of Mr. Massey, and held offico for a fortnight, pending the selection of a new leader, who proved to be Mr. Coates. He received the honour of K.C.M.G. in 1915, and G.C.M.G. in 1923.

SIR JAMES ALLEN, G.C.M.G., K.C.B. Sir James Allen, G.C.M.G., K.C.8., High Commissioner for New Zealand in London sinc-o 1920, has doubtless received his new honour in anticipation of his retirement later in the present year. Before taking up the duties of High Commissioner i3ir James had an active political career of 33 years in New Zealand, and will be remembered chiefly as the man who organised the Dominion's military effort in the Great War. Ho was born in South Australia 70 years ago, and came to New Zealand in 1856 as a child one year old. He was educated in England, first at Clifton College and later at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he held a scholarship and obtained his " blue "in Rugby football. After taking his M.A. degree, he spent some time at the Royal School of Mines. Returning to New Zealand ho became a member of the Dunedin City Council, and in tho general election of 1887 he brought himself suddenly into tho limelight by defeating the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Stout, in Dunedin East, by 29 votes. Three years later he won the Bruce seat as a supporter of Sir Harry Atkinson, and remained a pillar of the Opposition until the late Mr. Massey came into office in 1912. As his first-lieutenant Mr. Allen was give# the portfolios of Finance, Defence and Education. When war broke out ho assumed the huge task of organising the New.Zealand forces for. their share in the defence of the Empire. This ho carried through in face of much inevitable criticism, eventually putting into force a system of conscription. During tho absence of Mr. Massey in Europe he carried out the duties of Prime Minister. After the Armistice he resumed the portfolio of Finance, resigning -it in March, 1920, to take over the High: Commissionership from Sir Thomas Mackenzie, Ho has represented New Zealand with distinction in tho General Assembly of tho League of Nations, and on various of its committees. Sir James was nade a Knight-Commander of tho Bath in 1917. SIR HENRY BRETT. Sir Henry Brett is 82 years of age and ho has been connected with Auckland journalism for over 60 years. He caino to New Zealand in 1862 with the Albertland settlers. On arrival at Auckland ho joined tho staff of the Southern Cross, and a few years later he was on tho New Zealand Hebald. In 1870, when ho was 27 years of ago, he took a, partnership in the Auckland Star, with which he has been connected ever since. He is still actively engaged on the journal which he has nursed and guided for 55 years. In his early days as a journalist, Sir Henry served as a shipping reporter, and ho has recorded many of his experiences in that capacity in_ his lately-pub-* lished work, " White Wings.He was one of the founders of the United Press Association, of which he was a director for 39 years, and also at various times chairman. Sir Henry Brett has always taken • a keen personal interest in the welfare of the City of Auckland. He was chairman of the Parnell Highway Board in 1874, and became a member of the Harbour Board and of the City Council in the same year. He was Mayor in 1878 and 1879. In after years he served on many other public and semi-public bodies, but his chief interests outside his business' have been the encouragement of music and horticulture. As a young man he was active in the Auckland Musical- Society. For many years past he has. been president , of the Auckland Choral Society. His first musical benefaction was in 1898, when he purchased the organ of the Auckland. Exhibition and placed it in the Choral Hall as a gift to the society. When the latter had to vacato. the hall he repurchased the instrument and gave it to the Jubilee Institute for the Blind. He will be best remembered, however, for his generosity in presenting the city with the magnificent organ now in the Town Hal'i. A3 a horticulturist, Sir Henry Brett holds the Royal Horticultural Society's gold medal, which was awarded to him in 1910. He has been a notable exhibitor pt shows, and by example and practic&l help has done much to foster the garden interests.of all classes of the community.

SIR' H. F. WIGRAM. Sir Henry Francis Wigram is ona of Christchu ;h's best-known citizens. His activities in the interests of flying during recent years liave made his name known throughout the Dominion. Mr. Wigram was born in London in 1857 and received his education at Harrow. He later came t.o New Zealand, and settling in Christchurch soon associated himself with public movements. Ho was Mayor of Christchurch from 1902 to 1904, having the honour of being the first Mayor of Greater Christchurch. He was appointed a member of the Legislative Council in 1903, resigning in 1923 on account of ill-health. Mr. Wigram founded the Canterbury Seed Company in 1887, and has been a director of the Lyttelton Times Company for the past thirty years. He. is also a director of many other companies. He was the first president of the Canterbury Automobile Association and the Canterbury branch of the Royal Life Saving Society. He established the Canterbury Aviation Company, which trained 180 pilots for service during the war. The aerodrome at Sockburn has since been acquired by the Government as an aviation base and is known as the Wigram Aerodrome. Mr. Wigram is a keen sportsman, his favourite, pastimes being shooting, fishing, deer-stalking, billiards and racquets. He built one of the first squash racquets courts in New Zealand. MR. F. W. FURKERT, C.M.G. Mr. Frederick William Furkert, undersecretary of Public Works, and cngineer-in-chief'to the department, was born at Ross, Westland, in 1876. He wsa educated at the Wellington Technical College and Otago University, after which lie spent eight months in the head office draughting-room of the Public Works Department. He worked his way steadily up the ladder, until in 1906 he was placed in charge of the construction of the southern end of the Main Trunk line. In 1908 he was appointed district engineer for Otago, and in 1912 inspecting engineer for the department, having oversight of all works in the South Island. In 1913 he made a world tour, inspecting all the large engineering achievements and methods. During the war he had charge of the construction of military mohilisation and training camps in New Zealand. In 1919 he was appointed assistant engireer-in-chief to the department, and in the following year engineer-in-chief and iinder-secretary.