WHO’S WHO IN HONOURS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 83, 2 January 1935, Page 10

WHO’S WHO IN HONOURS

New Zealand Recipients BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES Biographical notes of the New Zealanders who have received New Year honours are as follow: — . Sir Clutha Mackenzie

Sir 'Chitha Nantes Mackenzie, youngest son of the late Sir Thomas Mackenzie,former High Commissioner for New Zealand,’ is best known throughout the Dominion for his work during the past eleven years as director of the New Zealand Institute for the Blind. He was born at Balclutha and received his secondary education at the Otngo Boys’ High School and Waitaki Boys’ High School. On the outbreak of the Great War he joined the Wellington Mounted Rifles and proceeded with the Main Body to Egypt and thence to Gallipoli. On the morning of August 9, 1915, in a fierce battle on the summit of Chunuk Bair he was wounded, losing his sight by a sixinch shell, which fell short from a British man-of-war. ■ln the hospital at Walton-ou-Thames, London, he became a dost

personal friend of Sir Arthur Pearson, founder of St. Dunstan's Hostel for Blinded Soldiers, and until after the close of war he devoted himself to the publication of the chronicles of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force Journal, which' was keenly appreciated by the men. On his return to New Zealand at the elose of the war Sir Clutha was a Parliamentary candidate in reform interests in opposition to Sir Arthur Myers, by whom he was narrowly defeated. He was elected on Sir Arthur’s retirement in 1920, but was defeated by Mr. J. A. Lee at the election of 1922. It was in the following year that he led a campaign to raise £lOO,OOO for the care and education of the blind in New Zealand, and lie was appointed director of what was then known as the Jubilee Institute for the Blind. Under his strong and able leadership the institute has continued to prosper and expand its beneficent activities. Sir Percy Sargood Sir Percy Sargood. governing director of thp firm of Sargood, Son and Ewen, Ltd., of Dunedin, is one of the most prominent business men of the city, and has been actively associated with its commercial life over forty years. He has also been prominently connected with various movements for the development of the province, and with various welfare societies. He has been a generous benefactor to the city, the most notable of his efforts in this direction being a presensation in conjunction with his wife of an art gallery as a memorial to their sou, Cedric Rolfe Sargood, who was killed at; Gallipoli during the attack on Suvia Bay in 1915. Sir Percy was born in Melbourne, and educated at schools and colleges there and also in England. In 1883 he entered the firm of Sargood, Butler and Nichol, of Melbourne, which later became Sargood Brothers, then the present firm of Sargood. Son and Ewen (formed in 1907). In 1912 he purchased Wanaka sheep station at Pembroke, and converted it into an irrigation area. The station is noted for crossbred sheep .and stud o£F_rifisiaii cattle. He.also has been

associated with other large irrigation works in the arid lands of Central Otago and is the New Zealand president of the Cromwell Deve'opment Company He is also the senior partner of the Taratu Coal Mines. The list of his activities apart from his business is a long one. Since' 1909 he has been interested in Empire migration, especially in connection with the settling of boys on the land. He is an ex-viee-elmirman of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce and an ex-member of the executive of the Manufacturers' Association In connection with - the chamber of commerce Le has represented New Zealand at an international conference at London in 1926 and at the Em pire conference in London in 1929 he represented Dunedin. During the war he wns chairman of t.n- . Expeditionary Forces Committee. Other interests in elude the Victoria League the Boy Scout Association, the British Empire Cnncet Research Fund, and the Otago Expansion League. In 1893 he married Lucy, daughter of' Dr. Frederick Francis Ormond, surgeon, r.f Hawke's Bay. and a family of three, two daughters survive— Mrs. Macphorsnn and Mrs Mnckillop. Mr. H. H. Sterling Mr. Herbert Harry Sterling. C.M.G., was born in Christchurch in ISB6, son of Thomas and Emmeline Sterling (nee

Whiting), of England. He was educated at the Normal and Richmond

Schools, the Christchurch Boys’ High School, and Otago University, taking the degree of LL.B, in 1917. In 1901' he began his career as a cadet with the New/Zealand Government Railways at Christchurch. In the ePurse of training in traffic working and general administration, he stuilied law, being admitted as solicitor in 1913 and barrister in 1917. Two years later he was appointed law officer in the Railways Department. In January, 1924, Mr. Sterling was appointed assistant general manager of railways, while in December of the same year he became a member of the Railway Board of Management. He resigned in 1926 to become general manager of the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company, Limited. Two years later he rejoined the Railways Department as general manager. In 1931 he took over the chairmanship of the Railways Board of Management. During his career Sir. Sterling’s activities have covered a wide field. He is an examiner for the New Zealand'University in “Business Organisation and Scientific Management”; he also is a member of Institute of Transport; member of the executive of the New Zealand Rugby Union; a member of the Council of the New Zealand Boxing Association; and member of the Auckland, Wellesley, Canterbury and Otago Clubs. Golf is his favourite recreation. In 1915 he married Georgina Frances, daughter of Dr. A. G. Nieolls, of Waimate. South Canterbury. They have one. daughter.

Mr. G. A. Lewin Mr. George Arthur Lewin, upon whom the honour of Companion of St. Michael and St. George has been conferred, lias been town clerk of Dunedin for the past 23 years. He was born and educated at Lyttelton, and began life in the office of “The Lyttelton Times” Newspaper Company, where he remained for a number of years. In 1900 he was appointed to the position of town clerk of the Borough of Lyttelton, occupying that office for 11 years. In January, 1911, he was selected from a large number of applicants to fill the position which he occupies at present. During his term of office in Dunedin Mr. Lewin has carried out his duties with the greatest- distinction and is recognised as one o£ the most outstanding municipal executive heads in the Dominion. He has been a member of the Local Government Loans Board since its institution in 1927. He is also a member of the Sinking Fund Commission of the City Council and the Dunedin Drainage Board, and'of the Renewal Fund Commission of the City Council. Last year Mr. Lewin, who posse>sses a close and intimate knowledge of local body finance, paid a visit to London to negotiate loans on behalf of both ’thte Dunedin City Council and the Otago Harbour Board, and his mission resulted in the.required money being obtained on highly favourable terms.

Paymaster-Commander Durman

Paymaster-Commander Richard Fran cis Durman, 0.8. E., R.N.. was appointed Naval Secretary to ’he New Zealand Naval Board and secretary to Rear-Ad-miral F. Burges-Watson. D. 5.0., Com modore commanding the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, on March 25, 1932. During the war he was secretary to Rear-Admiral R. S. Phipps Horn by on board the battleship Glory in the Atlantic until August. 1915. when he became accountant officer of the monitor Prince Eugene on the Belgian coast. A year later he was selected for special duty at thft Admiralty. From 1929 to 1932 he was assistant superintendent of the Accountant Officers’ Technical Course. Portsmouth. His last service afloat was as accountant officer of the minelayer Adventure in the .Atlantic Fleet, in 1927-29.