PERSONS CHOSEN FOR AWARDS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24909, 24 June 1946, Page 4

PERSONS CHOSEN FOR AWARDS

EXPLANATION HSLD DESIRABLE STATEMENT BY MAYOR OF AUCKLAND (P.A.) AUCKLAND, June 23. The dissatisfaction expressed at the meeting of the Auckland centre of the Red Cross Society about the award of New Year and Birthday honours, is reflected in sentiments held in many other quarters, not only in the city but in surrounding districts. A feeling that people who have earned recognition for public work have been passed over was expressed by the Mayor (Mr J. A. C. Allum), who said on Saturday that he had been questioned on the matter on many occasions. “No one could know less than I do about the actual procedure of deciding who should receive honours, for I have never been told and have never been consulted,” said Mr Allum. “All that was done as far as Auckland people were concerned was that the secretary of the National Patriotic Fund Board (Mr G. A. Hayden) rang from Wellington one day last year and asked the secretary of the Auckland Provincial Patriotic Council (Mr H.. Wylie) to name half a dozen people who had been prominent in patriotic work. He said he would not take the names of people who had previously been awarded honours, ana did not give Mr Wylie an opportunity to consult me or anyone else. In other words, Mr Wylie had to make more or less a snap decision and even then, only one person from the six he naiped was mentioned. “It seems to be cavalier treatment when one secretary rings another on an important matter like this and asks for recommendations at a moment’s notice,” said Mr Allum. ‘‘One would have imagined that the allocation of the King’s honours was something that required much thought to ensure that the awards should go where they were most deserved. In addition, one would have thought that common courtesy would have dictated that someone in high authority would have made the approach.” Mr Allum said he did not know whether anyone else in Auckland had been approached to recommend people for honours. As far as he knew, Mr Wylie may have been the only person who was consulted, and if that were so, it was perfunctory procedure. “The thing that upsets me is that so many deserving people in Auckland and in other centres should be completely passed over, not only on this occasion but also at other times,” said Mr Allum. ‘‘lt. is extremely regrettable that such a delicate matter should be ventilated, but in view of the grave dissatisfaction that has been expressed, it is well that the subject should be discussed. For my part, I will not be a party to any mysterious handling of important affairs, and I think it is now desirable that the authorities in Wellington should give an explanation of how honours are awarded.”