DUKE CONFERS HONOURS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19632, 10 May 1927, Page 9

DUKE CONFERS HONOURS.

PROMINENT AUSTRALIANS. PRIME MINISTER'S ORDER. SIX KNIGHTHOODS AWARDED. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received May 9, 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. May 9. The Duke of York held an investiture to-day at Canberra. His Royal Highness conferred the titles named upon the following representative Australians:— COMPANION OP HONOUR. Mr. Stanley M. Bruce, Prime Minister of Australia. KNIGHT OP ST. MICHAEL AND ST. GEORGE. Mr. John Newland, President of the Senate. KNIGHT OF THE VICTORIAN ORDER. Mr. George Faster Pearce, Vice-Presi-dent of the Executive Council. KNIGHTS BACHELOR. Sir Cyril Brudenell White, Commonwealth Director of the Royal tour. Mr. Wallace Bruce, Lord Mayor of Adelaide. Mr. John Henry Butters, chairman of tho Federal Capital Commission. Mr. Stephen Joseph Morell, Lord Mayor of Melbourne. Mr. Stanley Melbourne Bruce, Prime Minister of Australia, was born in Victoria in 1884. He went Homo -to Cam bridge University, and while there rowed against Oxford in the winning crew in 1904, and later was called to the English Bar. When the war broke out he joined the Worcester Regiment, and he served with the famous; 29th Division. He was severely wounded and was carried tc> safety by Captain Gee, V.C., who later was a British M.P. Mr. Bruce returned to Australia and entered the Federal Parliament. In 1921 he was in Europe and represented Australia with distinction on the League of Nations. Mr. Bruce later succeeded Sir Joseph Cook as Treasurer in Mr. W. M. Hughes' Cabinet. When this Cabinet fell in 1923 Mr. Bruce formed a Ministry. His policy was to encourage migration, to uphold the White Australia, and to maintain close trade and other relations with Britain. Jn October, last year, he attended the Imperial Conference. He received various honours from British cities and universities. On his way home he made some vigorous speeches in Canada and the States. At Philadel phia he said America was " indecently modest." and no country was more misunderstood and more vilified. He was re turned to power at the general election in November last, with a large majority. Major-General Sir Brudenell White attained distinction in the war. He was born in Victoria in 1876. He served in the Boer War, studied at the Staff College, Caiftberley, and was at the War Office, 1908-11. In 1914 he was Chief of Staff to General Sir Tom Bridges. He planned the evacuation of Anzac. He later served wiith distinction in France and returned to Australia as Military Adviser to the Commonwealth. Sir John Newland was M.P. for Burra Burra for seme years and later was a Senator,in the Commonwealth Parliament. He has been President of the Senate since last year. Sir George Foster Pearce was in early life a carpenter, and worked later in the Labour movement He was elected a Senator in the first Commonwealth Parliament in 1901. He was Minister of Defence for some years and later held other Ministerial office.

Sir John Henry Butters was born in England, and educated at Taunton School. He is an engineer, and was. Chief Engineer to the Government of Tasmania, and chairman of the Federal Capital Commission.

COMMENT IN LONDON. FEATURE OF NEWSPAPERS. BROADCASTING A FAILURE. (Received May 10, 12.30 a.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON. May 9. An effort was maclo to broadcast the Canberra proceedings in England, but failed. Nothing intelligible could be heard. Apparenlty the wave-length and the time were unsuitable. Practically every London newspaper makes the Canberra ceremony a feature. The speeches at the opening are published fully. The papers also devote editorials to the subject.

'The Daily Telegraph says:—"lt was by that typical Australian genius which by its bold political innovation in social experiments has set so many fruitful examples to the Old World, that Canberra was conceived on original lines. Its population will be tenants of the nation. The Daily Chronicle says:—"Canberra's conception is significantly different that of a London, a Paris or a Rome, each of which has traditions that stretch back far into the past. Canberra's traditions have yet to be made, because the nation, the capital of which she has become, is more a nation of the future than of to-day." The Daily News says:—"Canberra is of special interest to all the democratic peoples of the world as a wonder capital —smokeless, dustless, mudiess, odourless and siumless. If only we could rebuild London on the lines of Canberra.