1.
New Zealand Order of Merit
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The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of chivalry in New Zealands honours system. The number of Knights and Dames Grand Companion is limited to 30 living people, additionally, new appointments are limited to 15 Knight Companions,40 Companions,80 Officers and 140 Members per year. As well as the five grades, there are three types of membership, ordinary membership is limited to citizens of New Zealand or a Commonwealth realm. Additional members, appointed on special occasions, are not counted in the numerical limits, people who are not citizens of a Commonwealth realm are given Honorary membership, if they subsequently adopt citizenship of a Commonwealth realm they are eligible for Additional membership. The Collar, worn only by the Sovereign and Chancellor, comprises links of the medallion of the badge and S-shaped Koru. Hanging from the Coat of Arms is the badge of the Order, the Star is an eight-pointed star with each arm bearing a representation of a fern frond, with the Orders badge superimposed in the centre. Grand Companions wear a star and Knight Companions wear a silver star. The badge for Officers and Members is similar, but in silver-gilt, Grand Companions wear the badge on a sash over the right shoulder, Knight Companions and Companions wear the badge on a neck ribbon or a bow on the left shoulder. Officers and Members wear the badge from a ribbon on the lapel or a bow on the left shoulder. The ribbon and sash are plain red ochre, Knight/Dames Grand Companion and Knight/Dames Companion are entitled to use the style Sir for males and Dame for females. The orders statutes grant heraldic privileges to members of the first and second level, Grand Companions are also entitled to heraldic supporters. The Chancellor is entitled to supporters and a representation of the Collar of the Order around his/her shield, the majority of those affected chose the aforereferenced appellations. A change to non-titular honours was a recommendation contained within the report of the 1995 honours committee which prompted the creation of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Titular honours were incorporated into the new system before its implementation in 1996 after the National Party caucus, there has long been debate in New Zealand regarding the appropriateness of titles. Some feel it is no longer appropriate as New Zealand has not been a colony since 1907, others feel that titles carry both domestic and international recognition, and that awarded on the basis of merit they remain an appropriate recognition of excellence. In April 2000 the then new Labour Prime Minister, Helen Clark, announced that knighthoods and damehoods had been abolished, a National Business Review poll in February 2000 revealed that 54% of New Zealanders thought the titles should be scrapped. The issue of titular honours would appear whenever honours were mentioned, in 2009, Prime Minister John Key restored the honours to their pre-April 2000 state. Principal Companions and Distinguished Companions were given the option to convert their awards into Knighthoods or Damehoods, the restoration was welcomed by Monarchy New Zealand
2.
Order of the British Empire
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There is also the related British Empire Medal, whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order. Recommendations for appointments to the Order of the British Empire were at first made on the nomination of the United Kingdom, the self-governing Dominions of the Empire, nominations continue today from Commonwealth countries that participate in recommending British honours. Most members are citizens of the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth realms that use the Imperial system of honours and awards. Honorary knighthoods are appointed to citizens of nations where the Queen is not head of state, occasionally, honorary appointees are, incorrectly, referred to as Sir or Dame – Bill Gates or Bob Geldof, for example. In particular, King George V wished to create an Order to honour many thousands of those who had served in a variety of non-combatant roles during the First World War, when first established, the Order had only one division. However, in 1918, soon after its foundation, it was divided into Military. The Orders motto is For God and the Empire, at the foundation of the Order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. In 1922, this was renamed the British Empire Medal, in addition, the BEM is awarded by the Cook Islands and by some other Commonwealth nations. The British monarch is Sovereign of the Order, and appoints all members of the Order. The next most senior member is the Grand Master, of whom there have been three, Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales, Queen Mary, and the current Grand Master, the Duke of Edinburgh. The Order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross,845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the number of members of the fourth and fifth classes. Foreign recipients, as members, do not contribute to the numbers restricted to the Order as full members do. Though men can be knighted separately from an order of chivalry, women cannot, and so the rank of Knight/Dame Commander of the Order is the lowest rank of damehood, and second-lowest of knighthood. Because of this, Dame Commander is awarded in circumstances in which a man would be created a Knight Bachelor, for example, by convention, female judges of the High Court of Justice are created Dames Commander after appointment, while male judges become Knights Bachelor. The Order has six officials, the Prelate, the Dean, the Secretary, the Registrar, the King of Arms, the Bishop of London, a senior bishop in the Church of England, serves as the Orders Prelate. The Dean of St Pauls is ex officio the Dean of the Order, the Orders King of Arms is not a member of the College of Arms, as are many other heraldic officers. From time to time, individuals are appointed to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of the junior post-nominal letters
3.
Companion of the Queen's Service Order
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This order was created after a review of New Zealands honours system in 1974. The Queens Service Order replaced the Imperial Service Order in New Zealand, recipients of this award are entitled to use the post-nominal letters QSO, and are styled companion. Members of the Royal Family can be named extra companions, before 2005, awards were distinguished between those made for public and community service. The ribbon has a traditional Māori Poutama motif of black, white, the insignia is worn on the left lapel of the coat for men or from a ribbon tied in a bow at the left shoulder for women. The Governor-General of New Zealand additionally wears the badge on a gold chain. There is also a related Queens Service Medal, which is a circular medal bearing the effigy of the reigning monarch on the obverse. The ribbon or bow pattern is the same as the Queens Service Order, the medal, before 2005, was also awarded for public and community service. British and Commonwealth orders and decorations New Zealand Honours System Official Site, has images of the various insignia, changes to QSO and QSM Honours affect Gov Gen, New Zealand Government press release. Warrant under the Orders seal reconstiuting the Order
4.
Order of Saint John (chartered 1888)
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The orders approximately 25,000 members, known as confrères, are mostly of the Protestant faith, though those of other Christian denominations or other religions are accepted into the order. Except via appointment to government or ecclesiastical offices in some realms, membership is by invitation only. It is a constituent member of the Alliance of the Orders of St John of Jerusalem and its headquarters are in London and it is a registered charity under English law. This was to be achieved by issuing bonds in London to form an army of demobilized British soldiers using readily available. The council was reorganised and the Marquis de Sainte-Croix du Molay became its head, scotsman Donald Currie was in 1827 given the authority to raise £240,000. Anyone who subscribed to the project and all commissioned officers of the army were offered the opportunity of being appointed knights of the order. Few donations were attracted, though, and the Greek War of Independence was won without the help of the knights of the Council of the French Langues and it was headquartered at what Mortara called the Auberge of St. John, St Johns Gate, Clerkenwell. The creation of the langue has been regarded either as a revival of the Knights Hospitaller or the establishment of a new order, on 29 January 1831, in the presence of Philip de Castellane and the Agent-General of the French Langues, Peat was elected Prior ad interim. Sir Robert Peat died in April 1837 and Sir Henry Dymoke was appointed grand prior and re-established contact with the knights in France and Germany, into which the group had by that time expanded. This new entity grew its membership over the three decades and, in 1861, the Duke of Manchester agreed to become its grand prior. Additionally, an associated national hospitaller organisation was formed with a corps of ambulances, Sir Edmund Lechmere purchased St Johns Gate as the orders headquarters two years later, the property was initially leased from Lechmere before the order acquired the freehold in 1887. The name given when first constituted in 1888 as the present order of chivalry by Queen Victorias royal charter was Grand Priory of the Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem in England. Its most recent royal charter was granted in 1955, with a charter issued in 1974. In 1999, the order received special status from the United Nations Economic. The Grand Prior may also appoint a secretary of the order, since the orders royal charter of 1888, the Grand Prior has been appointed by the Sovereign Head and has always been a member of the royal family. All Priors, should not already be in the grade or higher, are made a Knight or Dame of Justice upon their assignment. Knights and Dames receive the accolade from the grand prior when they are touched on the shoulder with a sword and are given their robes, bailiffs and Dames Grand Cross additionally have the right to be granted heraldic supporters for life. In 2013, the Priory of Kenya and in 2014 the Priory of Singapore were formed, each is governed by a prior and a priory chapter
5.
Governor-General of New Zealand
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The Governor-General of New Zealand is the viceregal representative of the monarch of New Zealand, currently Queen Elizabeth II. The office is mandated by letters patent and the officeholder is formally titled the Governor-General, when travelling abroad, the governor-general is seen as the representative of New Zealand, and of the Queen of New Zealand. For this reason, the governor-general is viewed by some as the de facto head of state, under the Niue Constitution Act, the governor-general also represents the monarch in Niue. The governor-general initially represented the British monarch and the government of the United Kingdom, therefore, many officeholders have been British statesmen. In 1972, Sir Denis Blundell became the first New Zealand resident to be appointed to the office, governors-general are not appointed for a specific term, but are generally expected to serve for five years. The current Governor-General is Dame Patsy Reddy, who has served since 28 September 2016, administrative support for the governor-general is provided by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Appointment to the Office is made by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Prime Ministers advice has sometimes been the result of a decision by Cabinet, although there is no requirement for this. The appointment of Anand Satyanand met with the approval of every leader in the House of Representatives, by convention the Leader of the Opposition is also consulted on the appointment, however this too has not always been the case. This suggestion was in turn criticised by the Government, as Sir Edmund had backed Labour in 1975 as part of the Citizens for Rowling campaign, however, the right granted by the convention was not exercised directly by a New Zealand Prime Minister until 1967. Although non-partisan while in office, there have been a number of appointments of Governors-General to the office that have attracted considerable controversy, despite their political backgrounds, neither of these appointments could be said to have discharged their duties in a partisan way. There has often been speculation that a member of the Royal Family might take up the position, before the Governor-General enters office, his or her commission of appointment is publicly read in the presence of the Chief Justice of New Zealand and the members of the Executive Council. The Governor-General must take the Oath of Allegiance and the oath for the due execution of the office, from time to time, there have been proposals to elect the Governor-General. When first drafted by then Governor George Grey, the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 contained provision for the Governor to be elected by New Zealands Parliament. This provision was removed from the enactment, probably because the Colonial Office wanted to keep a check on New Zealands colonial government. In 1887 Sir George Grey, by then also a former Premier, the Bill was narrowly defeated 46–48, being opposed by the government of Harry Atkinson. In 2006 political commentator Colin James suggested that the Governor-General could be elected by a 60% majority of votes cast in Parliament, James argued that the New Zealand public should be given the ability to choose the Queens representative, and that the current system is undemocratic and not transparent. National MP Nikki Kaye queried whether several one-member parties in parliament could veto the decision, the Republican Movement responded that the method would ensure appointments were made that most MPs and parties found acceptable. The Governor-General holds office at the pleasure of the Queen, under clause II of the Letters Patent
6.
Elizabeth II
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Elizabeth II has been Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand since 6 February 1952. Elizabeth was born in London as the eldest child of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936, from which time she was the heir presumptive. She began to undertake duties during the Second World War. Elizabeths many historic visits and meetings include a visit to the Republic of Ireland. She has seen major changes, such as devolution in the United Kingdom, Canadian patriation. She has reigned through various wars and conflicts involving many of her realms and she is the worlds oldest reigning monarch as well as Britains longest-lived. In October 2016, she became the longest currently reigning monarch, in 2017 she became the first British monarch to commemorate a Sapphire Jubilee. Elizabeth has occasionally faced republican sentiments and press criticism of the family, however, support for the monarchy remains high. Elizabeth was born at 02,40 on 21 April 1926, during the reign of her paternal grandfather and her father, Prince Albert, Duke of York, was the second son of the King. Her mother, Elizabeth, Duchess of York, was the youngest daughter of Scottish aristocrat Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and she was delivered by Caesarean section at her maternal grandfathers London house,17 Bruton Street, Mayfair. Elizabeths only sibling, Princess Margaret, was born in 1930, the two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and their governess, Marion Crawford, who was casually known as Crawfie. Lessons concentrated on history, language, literature and music, Crawford published a biography of Elizabeth and Margarets childhood years entitled The Little Princesses in 1950, much to the dismay of the royal family. The book describes Elizabeths love of horses and dogs, her orderliness, others echoed such observations, Winston Churchill described Elizabeth when she was two as a character. She has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant and her cousin Margaret Rhodes described her as a jolly little girl, but fundamentally sensible and well-behaved. During her grandfathers reign, Elizabeth was third in the line of succession to the throne, behind her uncle Edward, Prince of Wales, and her father, the Duke of York. Although her birth generated public interest, she was not expected to become queen, many people believed that he would marry and have children of his own. When her grandfather died in 1936 and her uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second-in-line to the throne, later that year, Edward abdicated, after his proposed marriage to divorced socialite Wallis Simpson provoked a constitutional crisis. Consequently, Elizabeths father became king, and she became heir presumptive, if her parents had had a later son, she would have lost her position as first-in-line, as her brother would have been heir apparent and above her in the line of succession
7.
Helen Clark
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Helen Elizabeth Clark ONZ PC is the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, and was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand. She has been Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, the third-highest UN position, in April 2016, she declared her candidacy for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations. Clark graduated from the University of Auckland in 1974 and became active in the New Zealand Labour Party as a teenager. While a junior lecturer at the University in the early 1970s, in 1975 she came second for Labour in the rural seat of Piako. In 1981 she was elected to Parliament for the safe Labour seat of Mount Albert, Clark held numerous Cabinet positions in the Fourth Labour government of 1984–1990, including Minister of Housing, Minister of Health and Minister of Conservation. She was Deputy Prime Minister from 1989–1990 under Prime Ministers Geoffrey Palmer, after Labours strong showing in the 1993 election, Clark challenged the Labour leadership of Mike Moore and won, becoming the Leader of the Opposition. After failing to win the 1996 election, she led the Labour Party to a victory in the 1999 election. As Prime Minister of the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand, Clarks government presided over nearly a decade of economic growth and her government was defeated in the 2008 election and she resigned as Prime Minister and Labour Party leader. She resigned from Parliament in April 2009 from her Mount Albert electorate and was replaced by David Shearer to take up the post of Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. Clarks government implemented major economic initiatives including Kiwibank, the New Zealand Superannuation Fund. Her government also introduced the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004 which caused controversy and was eventually repealed in 2011. Clark sent troops to the Afghanistan War, but did not contribute troops to the Iraq War although some medical. Forbes magazine ranked her 20th most powerful woman in the world in 2006 and she rose to the 23rd position in 2014 and then 22nd in 2016. On 26 January 2017 AFP reported that Clark had resigned her directorship of the UN Development Programme, Clark was the eldest of four daughters of a farming family at Te Pahu in the Waikato Region. Her mother, Margaret McMurray, of Irish birth, was a school teacher. Her father, George, was a farmer, Clark studied at Te Pahu Primary School, at Epsom Girls Grammar School in Auckland and at the University of Auckland, where she majored in politics and graduated with an MA in 1974. Her thesis focused on political behaviour and representation. As a teenager Clark became politically active, protesting against the Vietnam War, Clark was brought up as a Presbyterian, attending Sunday school weekly
8.
Michael Hardie Boys
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Sir Michael Hardie Boys GNZM GCMG QSO KStJ is a New Zealand jurist and was the countrys 17th Governor-General, from 1996 to 2001. After his schooling at Hataitai School and Wellington College, he gained BA, Hardie Boys married Mary Zohrab in 1957. They have two sons, two daughters and eight grandchildren, a lawyer by profession, Hardie Boys became a Judge of the High Court of New Zealand in 1980 and was elevated to the Court of Appeal and appointed as a Privy Counsellor. In 1994 he was elected as an Honorary Bencher at Grays Inn and he is also a Visiting Fellow at Wolfson. In the New Year Honours List of 1995 Hardie Boys was appointed as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George. In 1996 he was the first person appointed as a Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. and is also a Knight of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. On 21 March 1996, Hardie Boys was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of her Prime Minister, Jim Bolger, upon the completion of his term on 21 March 2001 Sir Michael and Lady Hardie Boys were both appointed as additional Companions of the Queens Service Order. In 1996, Hardie Boys caused controversy by stating his opposition to Minister of Youth Affairs Deborah Morriss suggestion that people have access to contraceptives. Later, in 2001, he created controversy by making an implied attack on the Clark Labour Governments scrapping of the air defence wing of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Since his retirement as Governor-General, Hardie Boys has served as a Judge of the Kiribati Court of Appeal, in 2004, he stated his opposition to New Zealand becoming a republic, stating in an interview, If it aint broke, dont fix it
9.
Anand Satyanand
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Sir Anand Satyanand GNZM QSO KStJ is a former lawyer, judge and ombudsman. He was the 19th Governor-General of New Zealand and he is currently Chair of the Commonwealth Foundation. Satyanand was born and raised in Auckland to an Indo-Fijian family in 1944 and his grandparents arrived in Fiji from India in 1911, and were married on Nukulau Island. His father, Mutyala Satyanand OBE, a doctor, was born in Sigatoka in 1913. His mother Tara Tillak was a nurse from Suva and she married his father after moving to New Zealand. Satyanand attended Sacred Heart College in Auckland, and then moved to Dunedin to take an intermediate course at the University of Otago. He was not successful in gaining entry to the medical school, looking back over that year, I remembered that one of the things I had really enjoyed was the debating and forum meetings involving students. So instead he took up law, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Auckland in 1970 and he worked as a lawyer for the next 12 years, initially for Greig, Bourke and Kettelwell. Later he worked as a barrister for the Crown Law Office and he served on the Council of the Auckland District Law Society from 1979 until his appointment as a judge of the District Court of New Zealand in 1982. During the 1975 general election Satyanand and his wife helped David Lange in his first, later, when Satyanand was a law student, he helped Clive Edwards when he stood in Auckland Central for National. In 1995 he was appointed an ombudsman and he served two five-year terms, between 2005 and his appointment as Governor-General he chaired the Confidential Forum for Former In-Patients of Psychiatric Hospitals. Satyanand married Susan Sharpe in Auckland in 1970 and she was born in Sydney, Australia in 1947 and moved to New Zealand with her family in 1955. He and his wife have three adult children, satyanands daughter Anya is an advocate of gay marriage, being in a civil union with her partner Ange. In 2002, Satyanand and his wife were involved in a car accident in Dome Valley north of Warkworth. An oncoming car crossed the line and crashed head-on into their car. The accident resulted in spinal injury to Satyanand, he broke his C2. He had to wear a halo traction to keep his head straight and he is a member of Rotary Club of Wellington. As well as English, Satyanand also speaks Fijian, Hindi, in 2006, Satyanand was appointed Governor-General of New Zealand by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of Prime Minister Helen Clark
