THE NEW YEAR HONOURS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18889, 3 January 1927, Page 9

THE NEW YEAR HONOURS.

knighthood for chiei JUSTICE. A SHORT LIST. iftttl ASSOCIATION TtllOaUt.) AUCKLAND, December 2. The Governor-General announces thai on the occasion of the New Year his M»j«ty the King has been graciously pleased to confer the following hon, oa "' K.C.M.G. The Honourable Charles Perrin Skerrett, K.C., of New ZealaDd" Kiugit Bachelor, Bobert Donald Douglas Maclean, Esquire, of Hawke's Bay. O.M.G. John- Alexander, Esquire, barrister, Auckland. Charles Westwood Earle, Esquire, editor of the "Dominion" newspaper, Wellington. Cljar j eß gkerrett. Sir Charles Perriu Skerrett has risen to his present eminence as Chief Justice of New Zealand by his own ability and industry. Beginning without friends, influence, or money, he contrived to get an education when education was not so easy to obtain as it is to.dty, and at length, having served articles with the firm of Bell Gully, and U»d, he wu admitted is 1885. Thereafter his path was comparatively easy. He won won a high reputation aB g barrister, and when the King's counsel were first appointed in New Zealand in 1907, he was among the first selected for the distinction. He was born and edueated in Wellington.

Sir Robert Maclean. 'Sir Robert Donald Douglas Maclean W born in Wellington in 1852, the ion of the Hon. Sir Donald Maclean, K.C.M.G. He was educated at Clifton College, England, and was admitted as g barrister, Middle Temple. He has b«en for many years one of the leading men of the Hawke's Bay province, » sheepfarraer by occupation, and a very successful breeder of horses, cattle, and sheep. In his youth he was an athlete of distinction. It is recorded of him that he was the first man to ride over the Rimutaka range on a high bicycle; and that he played in the first games of football under Rugby rules in the North Island. He has been for years a prominent figure in the N»vy League, and waß, during a term of residence in London, a member of the Executive of the Royal Colonial Institute, a member of the Executive Committee of the Walton Military Hospital, and chairman of the New Zealand War Contingent Association. He was member of the House of Representatives for Napier, 1896-9, Mr John Alexander, c.M.G. Mr John Alexander is a leading Auckland barrister. He has occupied the position of president of the Auckland Law Society, and is at present one of the senior members of its Council. His public life has centred principally on social welfare, his keen interest and • Empathy in the unfortunate and disfWcdi'' yearning for him an appointment this year to a seat on the 'Prisons Board. Through fearless criticism and pertinacious efforts he has In his capacity of official visitor to. the Auckland Mental Hospital been instrumental in securing important reforms aai ameliorated conditions for the unfortunate inmates of that institution. Mr 0. W. Earle, O.M.G. Mr Charles Wcstwood Earle has been editor of the "Dominion," Wellington, since the paper was founded in 1907, and has been managing director of the Company since 1925. Most of his journalistic work has been, done m Wellington, but in the year 1900 he wa# on the staff of Thb Press, as editorial assistant, and in 1901 he was Alitor of the "Referee." Ho has been for several years President of the Newspaper Proprietors' Asosciation.

OTHER AWARDS. (MnnutuH jlso *.z. cash »S«OCUIIOH.. (Received January 2nd, 5-5 p.m.) LONDON, December 31. The New Year honours announced inelude the following:— G.C.M.G. .-—Lord Burnham, Chairnun of the Empire Press Union, and Deputy-Chairman of the Empire Parliamentary Association. K.C.M.G.Mr Miles Wedderburr ttmpson, British Minister at Peking. O.B.RwAdmiral William Napier. Viscount.—Sir James Craig, Premier Of Northern Ireland. Baron:—Sir Charles Greenway. •P.C.:—The Hon. William OmebyGore, Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. Baronet:—Sir Edwanl Davson, Chairjnan of the British Imperial Council of Commerce, and a member of the Empire Economio Committee. Knight Bachelor:—Mr John Keith, formerly Chairman of the British Broadcasting Company. K.C.V.O.:—Captain Towse, a blind holder of the Victoria Cross, and Ser? Beant-at-Arms in Ordinary to his Majesty the King. Dame of the British Empire:—The Countess of Jersey. Companion of. Honour:—The Rev. Hugh Sheppard, formerly vicar of St. Martins-in-the-Fields, London.