ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17429, 25 September 1918, Page 3

ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE.

THE INVESTITURE YESTERDAY.

A brief but very interesting ceremony took place in the Art Gallery Hall testerday afternoon, when his Excellency the Governor-General, by commaud of his Majesty the King, held an investiture of the Order of the British Empire. The recipients of the honour were six ladies and thrco gentlemen, who have been prominently connected with patriotic work in Otago and Southland during the past four years. Mr J. J. Clark (Mayor of Dunedin) was the first to receive his order, which vas pinned to his breast by his Excellency. This was the badge of the third class (0.8. E.), and took the form of a handsomely-designed Maltese cross in gold, with a figure of Britannia in the centre, surmounted by a crown, and bearing the motto of the ort'f-r For God and the Empire." The ribbon to which tho badge was fastened wi<= a purple shade.

Badges of the fifth class (Member of the Britisl} Empire) were presented to the following ladies and gentlemen: — Mrs James Bissland, Dunedin. Miss Jean Burt, Dunedin. Mrs J. M. Forrester, Oamaru Mrs A. F. Hawke, InvercargiU Miss Isabel M'Lean, Dunedin Mr John Stead, Mayor, Invercarpill. Mr Maurice Thomson, Invercar-nll Miss P. O. Thomson, Invercargill I hese badges were silver, and were simile m wvP *? . th ? badge of the fo «rth class. With each badge was a beautifullittlo leather case. The ceremony occupied less than *0 minutes. "°

His Excellency the Governor-General was H&d % i" S ."'k-Awsamp (Lieutenant HdmoTo), Colonel Cowie Nieholls (0 C Otago district), and Major Cooper OC Dvnodm division). . v^->->. honSur COaSt DofenC ° P™™ a Suard "i

Tho stage was tastefully decorated with ferns and flowers, the handiwork of Mr D Tannock (superintendent of tho city reserves! and his assistants. w«esj