NEW LIBERAL PEERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 852, 25 June 1910, Page 5

NEW LIBERAL PEERS.

two new zealanders knighted.

SIS ft HALL-JONES AND SIR 0. C. BOWEN

LOKG LIST OF DECORATIONS.

By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. Loncion, June 23. The list of the King's Birthday honours includes tho following:— K.C.M.G. Tho Hon. William Hall-Jones, High Commissioner for the Dominion of New Zealand. The Hon. Newton James Moore, Premier of Western Australia. KNIGHTS BACHELOR. The Hon. Charles Christopher Bowon, F.R.G.S., Speaker of tho Legislative Council of New Zealand. Major T. Bilbe Robinson, AgentGeneral for Queensland. C.M.G.' Mr. Atlee Arthur Hunt, Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of External .Affairs. Professor William Edgeworth David, 8.A., F.R.S., of tho Faculty of Geology and Physical Geography in Sydney University. THE HON. W. HALL-JONES. The Hon. W. Hall-Jones was bom in England in ISSI, and came out to Timaru in 1873 a For some years ho worked at bis trauo of carpentering, and he became a member of the Timaru Borough Council and the Levels Road Board. In tho by-election of ISOO he was elected to tho House of Representatives for Timaru, in opposition to the Government candidate. At tho general election the • samo year he was again returned, and later on held the position of Liberal Whip, wliich he resigned to form in . himself what was then known as the Fourth party, a position which left him free for vigorous criticism of the Government and its ad-

ministration. ,ln 1896 he was offered by I Vrr. Seton "a seat in Vno >VnriVtry us Minister for Justice, which lie accepted, and soon afterwards he was appointed Minister for Public Works. On the retirement of the Hons. T. Y. Duncan and C. Mills he received also the portfolio of Railways. In the meantime several other Departments, including Marine, had been placcd under his charge. After the death of Mr. Seddon, Mr. Hall-Jones was for a few months Prime Minister, resigning that position in favour of Sir Joseph Ward, who was in Europe when* Mr. Seddon died. In December, 1908, Mr. HallJones was appointed High Commissioner, in succession to the Hon. W. Pcmbcr Reeves. Mr. Hall-Jones's health has been at intervals during the past few years a source of some, anxiety to his friends. THE HON. C. C. BOWEN. ' Honour has not como ' undeserved to the Hon. Charles Christopher Bowen, who has been connected with the public life of New Zealand for no less than sixty years. Mr. Bowen, who was born at Milford, County MayO", Ireland, in 1830, and educated at Rugby and Cambridge, came to Canterbury with the earliest settlers in 1850, and was for two years private secretary to Mr. John Robert Godley, founder of the province. He cooperated with the Provincial Government in inaugurating the first New Zealand railway, and urged the construction of the Lyttelton tunhel. From 1862 to 1872 ho was resident magistrate at Christ-

church, and in 1868 was invited by tho leaders of both political parties to stand for the superintendency of tho province, but declined. In 1874 he became Minister for Justice , in tho Vogel Ministry, and was called to the Upper House. Soon afterwards ho resigned to contest the Kaiapoi seat, for which ho was elected. He was the author of tho Education Act of 1877, on Which the Dominion's system of education is founded. Mr. Bowen held various Ministerial oftices until 1877, and as Minister for Justice instituted tho "marks" system in tho colony's gaols. He paid visits to England in 1859 and 1881. Ho was one of the first members of tho Canterbury College Board of Governors, and was for years a member, and afterwards Vice-Chancellor of (he Now Zealand University. In 1891 Mr. was called once more to tho Legislative Council, and in 1905 he was elected Speaker of the Council. His term of oflico as Speaker will expiro on .Inly 5 next. Mr. Bjwen is widely popular by reason of his courteous and gentle disposition.

THE AUSTRALIAN DECORATIONS, Sir Newton Moore is a liotivp of Hie State of which he is now' Premier, having lwen born at Buubury forty years occu

Major Robinson was appointed temporary successor to Sir Horace Tozer as Agent-General for Queensland last year, and a few months ago was given- tlio position permanently. He is a director of tho firm of M'lhvraith, M'Eacharn, and Co., steamship owners. Professor David is well known to New Zealanders as the geologist of the Shackleton expedition to the Antarctic.