CEREMONY AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 303, 11 September 1918, Page 2

CEREMONY AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE

INVESTITURir. BY THE GOVERNOR-1 GENERAL. j A ccremony of much interest took I place lit Government House lust even- I ing, when by Command of His Majesty the King the Letters-Patent of' Knighthood were handed by His Excellency tho Governor-General to the Hon. Sir William Eraser and to the Hon. Sir John Sinclair, the investiture being followed by-tlie presentation of badges of tlin Most Excellent Order of the. British Empire to those upon whom tho distinction had been oonferred. Tho actual ceremony was held in the ballroom. Their Excellencies the Gover-nor-General and the Gountcss of Liverpool entering and taking their places ■upon the dais after everyone had assembled, the onlookers being inside- an enclosed space, while those who were to receive their distinctions remained outside it. Representatives of tho two sister services—tho Army and the Nary—General Robin, Surgeon-Gcnoral Henderson, Colonel Gibbon, Captain Hall-Thompson, Colonel Collins, i and Colonel Purdy took their places on the right of the dais, and Mr. Gavin Hamilton, private secretary to His Excellency, read tho names of tho recipients previous to their,coming forward to receive the Letters-Patent of Knighthood,'as in the ease of Sir William Ffaser and, Sir John Sinclair, or the badges of tile Order of the British Empire Tho latter'included tho. Third, (0 B E.); the Fourth (0.8. E.), and the Fifth Class (M.8.E.), His Excellency leaving his placo on the dais and pm 7 ning them on as each recipient came forward. , . ■ . The ceremony at an end; Their Excellencies rcoeived their guests in the drawing-room, and afterwards supper was served in the dining-room.; _ Nati urnlly tho badges were .the subject or nrucli interest i and admiration the badge of the Third Olns's, of which ;>ii's. W. ¥■ Massey and Mrs. J. P. jjuko were recipients, being a' cross with poihts of blue enamel, .while in the centre was a design of Britannia, outlined with red, on the outside ot wliicii -were tho words, "For God and Empire." The ribbon to which it was fastened was purple, ill colour, almost a deep violet. Tho badgo of the l-ourth Class was of gold and quite _ plain, though with tlio same design in-irs centre, and the badge _ of_ the Fifth Class was carried out iin silver. _ . Her Excollency, who was wearing a dress of soft black clmrmeU'Se, with transparent sleeves of black georgette, had on her badge, that of the I irst Class with a ribbon that crossed from shoulder to waist.' Among those who were present'(in addition to those, who received distinctions) were the ActingPrime Minister (Sir James Allen), the: Hon. A. M. Myers, the Hon. i. M. Wilford and Mrs.' Wilford, Miss Eraser, Miss Massey Mrs. G. W. Russell and Miss Russell, the Hon. J. A. Hanan and Mrs. Hanan, the Mayor (Mr. J- P- Luke), Mrs. Studholme, Mrs. Moorhouse, Mr. and Mrs. Stott, Colonel and Mrs; Sleoman, Miss Robin, Mr. and Mrs. J. Findlay, Mr. lolhurst, Mrs. Duthie, Miss Lu'ce, ™8 Hon Dr. Pomare, Mrs. Hadfield, MissCard (Featherston), Mrs. Archer, (Masterton), Mr. and Mr. Coleridge, Miss Clarke-Johnston, Mrs. Townsend, Mrs. Murphy Mr. and Mrs. Brice, the lion. D H. Guthrie, Lady Sinclair, Mis. Reading, Mrs. H: D. Crawford, Mr. and Mrs. L. 0. H- Inpp, DS. MncDonald, Mrs. . Barton (Featherston), Paymaster _ Brown, Miss "Wilford, and Mrs. Francis. For the Italian Red Cross. An enterprise in which great interest is being taken;and lor which many people aro working is that ior the' benefit of the Italian Red Cross. Money is very badly needed for tiie soldiers of our brave ally, whoso hardships, among-the mountain passes ,ot Italy it is impossible to realise, and it is hoped that by tins effort a practical demonstration will be given ot the admiration and sympathy whicli their bravery and endurance have aroused amongst tho people of, this. country.' The market is to bo held in the Town Hall on September 19 and 20, and all. who can aro asked to help bv sending in donations in nioney, in produce, tiowors, or other saleable articles. Parcels should be addressed to "Italian Red Cross," E Shed, Wei-., lington," and they will be carried free on tho railways between September 1J and September 20. Donations in money should .be sent to the treasurer, Mr. J. H. Helliwell, Wellington Gas .Company, Wellington. , , ' 'fills afterndon a 1 ■"com" afternoon is to bo hold at Miss Eraser's'residence, Tinakori Road, in aid of the cake stall in connection 'with tho Thorndon Red Cross'*Day on, Friday./ -Miss Eraser will be very glad if, all Red Cross workers and those interested in assisting tho Thorndon Day will attend. Vnrious n ttractions have been arranged for the afternoon, and the cause, it is hoped, will benefit to a satisfactory extent. Arrangements uro being made for a very entertaining evening on the occasion of the plain and fancy dress masked ball, which will he given next week in nid, of tho Italian '.Red Cross Fund. Messrs. A. Calvert and C. J. Pfaff are tho 'joint secretaries, and the chaperons include the Mayoress (Mrs. J. P. Luke), Lady Stout, and Mrs. L. 0. IL Tripp. The comniiiteo consists of Mrs. E. Taylor, Misses l E. Forsyth, D. Lowe, 'E. Petherick, F. Ferguson, -L. C<®eland, E. M'Guinness, Messrs. C. Alinao. T. Hills, K. Pitt, W. H. Ishorwoocl, N. 11. Selig, C. J. Pfaff., H. Calvert, and S. ,P. Edwards.