BIRTHDAY HONOURS

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 71

BIRTHDAY HONOURS

NEW ZEALAND RECIPIENTS. HON. C. E. STATHAM KNIGHTED EXHIBITION DIRECTORS RECOGNISED. WELLINGTON, July 2. The Governor-General announces that his Majesty the King has been graciously pleased, on the occasion of the Birthday Honours list, to confer the following distinctions: — G.B.E. | Mrs W. F. M'SSEY (Wellington) Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, civil division KNIGHTS BACHELOR.. CHARLES HOLDSWORXH, managing director of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand —Knight Bachelor. The Hon. CHARLES ERNEST STATHAM, M.P., Speaker of the House of Representatives—Knight Bachelor. C.B. COMMODORE ALISTER FRANCIS BEAL, C.M.G., commodore of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy and naval adviser to the Government of New Zealand—Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, military division (C. 8.). C. 8.8. SAMUEL HURST SEAGER, F.R.1.8.A., architect, Christchurch—Commander of ' the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (C.8.E.). CHARLES SPEIGHT, vice-chairman of directors of the New Zealand dnd South Seas International Exhibition, Dunedin—Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (C.8.E.). C.M.G. JOHN SUTHERLAND ROSS, chairman of director, of. the New Zealand and South Sea. International Exhibition, Dunedin—Companion of the Moat D is tin-

guished Order of St. Michael and St. George (C.M.G.). HAROLD LIVINGSTONE TAPLEY, M.P., Mayor of the City of Dunedin— Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George (C.M.G.). i.s.o. ROBERT EDWARD HAYES, Set-re-tary to the Treasury, Wellington— Companion of the Imperial Service Order (1.5.0.). THE HON. SIR CHARLES STATHAM. The Hon. Sir Charles Statham Is the eldest and only surviving son oi the Rev. C. H. Statham, of Dunedin. ite was born in Dunedin in 1875, and bas lived here all his life. He was educated at private schools, the William Street School (now the High Street School), the Cathedral School (Christchurch), and the Otago Boys' High School in the time I of Dr Belcher. After leaving sell 'ol he had the benefit of some years of experience in commercial life, and was trained as an accountant. He then commenced the study of the law, and was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court in 1901. On leaving the service of Messrs Uallar and Gallaway, with whom he had been ticting as managiug clerk, he opened an office on his own account, and soon worked up a considerable practice, and is at present a member of the bint of Statham, Brent, and Anderson. Mr Statham has always taken a keen interest in athletics, and was for some time an active member of the Pirates Footfall Club. He was also an active member of the Otago Rowing Club, in which be held the offices of committeeman, treasurer, and captain. He served m the City Council for some years as a. representative of High Ward. In 1911, when Sir Joseph Ward was Prime Minister Mr Statham entered the political arena as an opnonent of the Government, contesting the Dunedin Central seat against Mr J. F. Arnold (Government) and Mr D. Macpherson (Labour), the voting being as follows: C. E. Statham 4042, J. F. Arnold 2498, D. Macpherson 1452. At the election in 1914 Mr Statham stood for Dunedin Central os a supporter of the Massey Government, against Mr J. W. Munro, who upheld the Social Democratic platform and secured the seat by 12 votes. As a number of votes, the majority of which were cast in hit opponent’! favour, had been

rejected as invalid, Mr Statham refused to take advantage of a victory gained under such circumstances, and resigned, and at the by-election in February, 1915. he was elected by a more comfortable majority—by 4033 votes to 3920. Mr Statham came before the electors again in 1919 as an Independent candidate, his opponent being Mr Munro, and on this occasion he necured the scat by a substantial majority, the figures being: Statham 4769, Alunro 4272. At the 1922 election Mr Statham again stood as an Independent, and obtained a clear majority over his two opponents, the figures being:—Statham 5092, Gilchrist 43G9, and Maslin 372. In 1923 Mr Statham was elected Speaker of the House oi Representatives, being the first New Zealandborn member to hold that high oluce. He was re-elected member for Dunedin Central at the general election in 192'» lie was again unanimously elected Speaker of the House at the opening of the present session of Parliament. SIR CHARLES HOLDSWORTH Sir Charles Holdsworth, managing director of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, was born in Wellington in 1863. He was the son of Mr J. G. Holdsworth, commissioner of Crown I ands in the Wellington district. He was educated at Wellington College and entered the service of Captain W. R. Williams, proprietor of the Black Diamond line of colliers in 1880. He was made manager at Westport in 1883 and two years later he took over a similar position at Westport with the U.S.S. Co. which had absorbed the Black Diamond line. He was appointed manager for Tasmania in 1891. Seven years later he returned to New Zealand and took up his residence in Dunedin upon being appointed general manager, which position he held for 16 years, after which period ho became managing director in succession to Sir Janies Mills. For several years past he has resided in England, while retaining his position as managing director of the company. MR J. SUTHERLAND ROSS, C.M.G. Mr John Sutherland Boss, C.M.G., is the eldest son of Sir John Ross, of Newington avenue, Dunedin. He was born on January 14, 1877, at Potter’s Bar, Middlesex, England, and wan educated at Higligate School and Leipzig University, Germany. He was apprenticed to the retail drapery trade, and spent three years learning the business. In 1900 he came out to New Zealand, and for a further period of three years he was in the Wellington warehouse of Messrs Ross and Glendining (Ltd.). After spending a year in the Dunedin office of the firm, Mr Sutherland Ross returned to England in 190-1. and was appointed a director of the company in 1905. He was in charge of the London branch of the business until 1920, when he came back to Dunedin as vice-chairman of Ross and Glendining (Ltd.). At the beginning of the present year he was appointed chairman of the company. He is a Fellow of the Royal Colonial Institute, and is a viceconsul for Sweden. He was chairman of directors of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition Company. During the period prior to the opening of the Exhibition Mr Ross was an indefatigable worker for the great project, and it was under his guidance that the Now Zealand and South Seas Exhibition was brought to i most successful close. In his capacity as chairman he was the host of thousands of visitors from overseas and from all parts of New Zealand, and as such he became well known beyond the confines of Dlinedi n , j While the Exhibition was open he devoted practically the whole of his time to administrative work, and those most closely connected with the inner workings of that great enterprise know to what an extent the success of the Exhibition depended on his work. MR HAROLD LIVINGSTONE TAPLEY, C.M.G. Mr Harold Livingstone Tapley, CMG was born at Semaphore, boutn Australia, in 1875, and was educated in South Australia. He came to Dunedin in 1893, and esta hed his present business as shipping, stevedoring, and insurance agents in 1900. From 1907 to 1911 he was a member of the Dunedin City Council, and from 1908 to 1911 he was a member of the Otago Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. He was a member of the Otago Harbour Board from 1913 to 1920, and was chairman of the board in 1919 and 1920. In 1921 - was again elected to the City Council, and two years later he was elected Mayor. Last year he was re-elected without opposition to the mayoralty for a second term of two years. Since 1923 Mr lapley has been a member of the Board of Governors of the Otago Boys’ High School and of the Technical College. He was appointed City Sinking Fund Commissioner two years ago, and about that time becanie a member a member of the Ocean Beach Board. *At the general election on November 4 Mr Tapley, who stood in the interests of the Reform Party, defeated the Labour candidate for Dunedin North. Mr Tapley was one of the originators of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition, and acted as chairman of the Organising Committee in its initial stages until the formation of the company. Besides holding a directorship, he was also a vicepatron of the -Exhibition. He has been president of the Overseas Club since 1921. Mr Tapley was associated with the old volunteer system. He was a captain in the B Battery, N.Z.F.A., and was afterwards transferred to the reserve of officers in the Territorials. On the outbreak of war he was appointed captain of the Coast Defence Infantry for home service, and is still on the reserve of officers. MR CHARLES SPEIGET, C.B.E. Mr Charles Speight, C.8.E.. was born in Dunedin in 1865, and has lived in this city all his life. His parents, Mr and Mrs James Speight, came out to Dunedin in 1861, and in 1876 Mr James Speight founded the big brewing business with which his son hat been associated since 1881. Mr Charles

Speight was educated at the Norma! School, and though never actively associated with local pol’tics, has taken a keen ana helpful interest in many branches of sporA and in various business and other organisations. In his younger days he devoted much of his energy to volunteering, being associated with the Dunedin -Rille-Club and the “B” Battery.. He was also a keen yachtsman. He is a past president or the Caledonian Society and a past president of the Otago Bowling Club. When the South African War broke out in 1899 Mr Speight was one of the organising committee that sent away the Fourth and Fifth Contingents, and continued in the work of organising the welfare of the men on their return. In the last Great War Mr Speight early found a useful sphere of activity in a similar capacity and assisted in organising the carnivals and other efforts planned for the welfare of the men. He is a member of the Otago Patriotic Association, which controls the expenditure of the funds 90 raised, and deputy-chairman of the Soldiers and Dependents’ Welfare Committee, and in this capacity has quietly devoted a great deal of time and care to helping the men who took part in the war. Mr Speight has been a valuable member of the Red Cross Society for about nine years, and has taken a keen interest in the welfare of patients in the Montecillo Home. Prior to the big brewery merger of four years ago Mr Speight was manager of the firm of Speight and Co., and sincT that time has been manager of the Dunedin branches of New Zealand Breweries (Ltd.), and a member of the board cf directors of the concern. He holds a number of local business directorships, and shows his interest in education by acting as chairman of the Arthur Street School Committee. Mr Speight has a family of four sons and a daughter. Mr Speight was deputychairman of directors of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition Company, and chairman of the Finance Committee.