THE NEW ZEALAND CROSS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2216, 31 July 1914, Page 8

THE NEW ZEALAND CROSS

A CANCELLATION SOUGHT. . A P etit i° n which was presented to the House of Representatives yesterdav by Mr. D. H. Guthrie, M.P., on behalf of a number, of veterans holding the New Zealand 1 Cross, asks tliat an inquiry should bo instituted into tho circumstances under which Mr. HamCharles William Wrigg, of Auckland, had that decoration bestowed upon him in'lß9B: .The petitioners state tliat a committee of the l House of, Representatives in 1898 inouired : iuto the matter, and were unablo to report'in tlio time available', but that in the follow,ing session the committee reported:— '.'That from tho evidence the committee is of opinion that Mr. Harry Charles William Wrigg was hot entitled to tlio New Zealand Cross." It is added that notwithstanding this finding the Cross lias not been recalled, and the petitioners submit that this is calculated to greatly depreciate what was intended, and considered to be tho highest reward for distinguished servico in New Zealand. The petition goes on to relate that its signatories petitioned the House in 1906 asking that the evidence taken at the former inquiry should be laid upon tlie table. After some further proceedings tho evidence was laid upon the table in 1909, with the exception of a Parliamentary paper (A 31 of 1898), which is said to contain important evidence. The matter was again brought before tho House in 1912, but 110 action was taken. . Finally the petitioners pray that the bestowal of the New Zealand Cross 011 Mr. Wrigg be cancelled, and bis name .erased from the roll of'those who hold it. The petition, is sigued by Messrs. H. W. Northcrolt, W. Lingard. Gilbert Mair, W. Mi Roberts, B. Buddie, and F. Mace, al! of whom hold tho New Zealand Cross.