BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26040, 2 January 1946, Page 4

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

Sir Carl Berendsen served in the last war with the Samoan Contingent, and on his return to civil life was appointed chief clerk in the Labour Department. He later joined the staff of the Imperial Affairs Office, and was subsequently appointed Secretary for External Affairs. From the position of permanent head of the Prime Minister’s Department, to which he was appointed in 1935, Sir Carl was selected to succeed Mr Nash as the New Zealand Minister at Washington. Sir Alfred Turnbull recently retired from the position of administrator of Western Samoa, an appointment which he had held since 1935, first in an acting capacity for some years. He was first appointed to an administrative position in the Islands in 1930 when, after many years in the civil service, he became Secretary and Deputy Administrator of Western Samoa. Sir Archibald Blair was born in Dunedin in 1875. After studying at Canterbury College, he was admitted to the bar in 1899. His appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand was made in 1928. ■ • • Sir James Fletcher is managing director of the Fletcher Construction Company, Ltd., chairman of directors of a number of subsidiaries and a director of various other companies. During the war he was appointed Commissioner of Defence Construction, and later, until his resignation at the end of 1944, was Commissioner of Works. He was also Controller of Shipbuilding. Sir William Perry, M.L.C., was Minister of the Armed Forces and War Co-ordina-tion in the War Cabinet, taking the seat rendered vacant by the death of Mr J. G. Coates in the middle of 1943. From 1935 up to that time he was Dominion president of the R.S.A. He was also chairman of the National Patriotic Fund Board. He served for three years during the First World War, and shortly before the armistice lost his right arm. MILITARY DIVISION Lieutenant-general Sir Edward Puttick retired on December 31 from the position of Chief of the General Staff, to which he was appointed in 1941. He left the Dominion in 1940 in command of the First Echelon, and was second in command of the Expeditionary Force under Major-general Sir Bernard Freyberg. He served with distinction in the First World War. Air Vice-marshal Sir Leonard Isitt has been Chief of the Air Staff since July, 1943. He served in the last war with the N.Z.E.F., but later obtained a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps. He returned to the Dominion in 1919 and accepted a position with the New Zealand Air Force. In 1937 he was appointed air member for personnel. While holding this position during the three years preceding the outbreak of war he contributed a great deal to the rapid expansion of the R.N.Z.A.F. Major-general Sir Frederick Bowerbank served throughout the war as director-general of army medical services. A graduate of Edinburgh University, he served with the New Zealand Medical Corps in 'the First World War. and was subsequently appointed director of medical services and principal R.N.Z.A.F. medical officer. Brigadier L. G. Goss, C. 8., N.Z.S.C.. has been Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Army Headquarters, since September, 1944. He had varied service during the war, most of it being in the Pacific. He was appointed to command one oi the battalions of the New Zealand Army Tank Brigade which was trained at Waiouru, and later went to Fiji in command of the Bth Brigade. He was then appointed liaison officer for special duties with the American forces. He received the American award of the Legion oi Merit a year ago. OTAGO RECIPIENTS Among the Otago men and women included in the Honours List are the following:— Mr A. H. Allen, C.8.E., Mayor of Dunedin during the greater part of the wai and first chairman of the Otago Patriotic Council. Mr J. C. Kirkness, 0.8. E., Mayor oi Oamaru during the war and a prominenl figure in patriotic and welfare work. Mrs Etta Elaine Allen, M.8.E., formei Mayoress of Dunedin. She was in charge of the Mayoresses' Committee of the Otago Patriotic Council. Mr George John Blake Barber, M.8.E., chief engineer of the Green Island Tanneries. Mrs Agnes Connelly, M.8.E., wife of Mr M. Connelly, M.L.C., who has been engaged in patriotic and welfare duties. Mrs Daisy Vida Chalmers Pottinger, M.8.E., of Burnside, the provincial commandant for Otago and Southland of the St. John Voluntary Aid Division. Miss Jessie Banks Wilson, M.8.E., principal of the Waitaki Girls' High School. Included in the military list is Temporary Lieutenant William Williamson, R.N.Z.N.V.R., who has been on the staff of the Navy Office at Dunedin during the war and is now officer in charge.