KING’S BIRTHDAY

Southland Times, Issue 21099, 3 June 1930, Page 7

KING’S BIRTHDAY

HONOURS LIST MR T. M. WILFORD KNIGHTED C.M.G. FOR MR R. A. ANDERSON (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, June 2. An announcement has been Issued by the Governor-General to the effect that the King has been graciously pleased on the occasion of his birthday, to confer the following honours upon the gentlemen named below:— MOST DISTINGUISHED ORDER. OF ST. MICHAEL AND ST. GEORGE. Knight Commander. Thomas Mason Wilford, K.C., High Commissioner for New Zealand in London. Knight Bachelor. Alfred Seymour Bankart, M.8.E., of Auckland. COMPANION OF MOST DISTINGUISHED ORDER OF ST. MICHAEL AND ST. GEORGE. (C.M.G.) Robert Albert Anderson, of Invercargill. Paul Desire Nestor Verschaffelt, Public Service Commissioner, Wellington. MR IL A. ANDERSON, C.M.G. PUBLIC-SPIRITED CITIZENS. Mr R. A. Anderson, C.M.G., was born at Queenstown on September 26, 1866. He came to Invercargill in 1878 and commenced work in the office of the Southland Building Society in September, 1579, at the age of 13 years. He joined Murray, Dalgleish and Co., the local branch of Murray, Roberts'and Co., in 1883, and remained with the firm till the branch was closed. He joined Sir Joseph Ward in 1888, and along with Sir Joseph founded the present firm of J. G. Ward and Co., Ltd., in 1898. As chairman of the High School Board of Governors, Mr Anderson was largely responsible for the erection of the new Boys' High School in Herbert street. In his capacity of president of the Southland A. and P. Association, he was also responsible for the purchase *of the Showgrounds against strong opposition. Mr Anderson has also taken a prominent part in public affairs, and he is a member of the Bluff Harbour Board, being at one lime chairman of the board. He was also first president of the present Beautifying Society. Mr Anderson is chairman of New Zealand Milk Products, a director of the New Zealand Shipping Company, the NewZealand Express Company, the Permanent Investment Society and the Southern Cross Assurance Company. He is managingdirector of J. G. Ward and Company, Limited, and the Ocean Beach Freezing Company.

When Mr Anderson vacated his home in Gala street, he gave it to the Plunket Society, and it is now known as the Kari-tane-Anderson Home. Among other generous gifts to the city he recently donated the equipment for a children’s playground. The equipment is now being manufactured. It was during the war that Mr Anderson performed sterling work when he was associated with the Overseas Shipping Committee. He is, still actively engaged in business and is well-known throughout Ne*Zealand. SIR THOMAS WILFORD. Sir Thomas Wilford has a long recon) of service in Parliament. He had represented the Hutt electorate since 1903 until recently when he succeeded Sir James Parr as High Commissioner for New Zealand in London. He was born in Wellington in 1870, and was educated at Christ’s College, Canterbury. He was admitted to the bar in 1891, and for a considerable number of years was a practising barrister, being the senior partner in the legal firm of Messrs Wilford, Levi and Jackson. He was a member of the Wellington Harbour Board for ten years, and held the position of chairman in 1908-09, and at one period was Mayor of the city. Mr Wilford is well known in sporting circles and a prominent racehorse own'er. He unsuccessfully contested the Wellington Suburbs scat against the late Dr A. K. Newman in 1893, but was returned as that constituency’s representative seven years later. He won the Hutt seat in 1903, and at every election since he has proved too good for all-comers. He held the portfolio of Justice for two years in the .National Government, and upon the defeat of Sir Joseph Ward assumed the Leadership of the Liberal Party. He was responsible for its change of name during the 1925 session before he relinquished control on account of ill-health. He undertook an extended health-recruiting trip abroad, and his 1925 election campaign was conducted by some of his Parliamentary colleagues in his absence. He retained the seat by over 170 votes. At the 1928 election, Sir Thomas Wilford held his seat by a. substantial majority.