New Zealand Order of Merit
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The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of chivalry established on 30 May 1996 by Queen Elizabeth II of New Zealand. The Order includes five classes:
- Principal Companion (PCNZM) (formerly Knight or Dame Grand Companion, GNZM)
- Distinguished Companion (DCNZM) (formerly Knight or Dame Companion, K/DNZM)
- Companion (CNZM)
- Officer (ONZM)
- Member (MNZM)
The Order replaces the Order of the Bath, Order of St Michael and St George, Order of the British Empire, Order of the Companions of Honour as well as the distinction of Knight Bachelor as a result of the reorganisation of the New Zealand Honours System in 1996.
The Order's motto is For Merit/Tohu Hiranga.
Controversy
Until 2001 the two highest ranks entailed admission to knighthood, when the Labour government of Helen Clark in 2001 removed knighthoods and damehoods from the Order (NZ Regulation SR 2000/84). This was criticised by opposition parties, with Richard Prebble of the ACT New Zealand party deriding the PCNZM's initials as standing for 'a Politically Correct New Zealand that used to be a Monarchy'.The National Party made it one of their policies that, if they were elected, they would reverse Labour's legislation and re-introduce knighthoods and damehoods to the order.
Membership quotas
Ordinary appointments are subject to a quota according to section 9 of the Order's statutes. Every year, there is a maximum appointment of 15 for Distinguished Companions, 40 for Companions, 80 for Officers and 140 for Members. Honorary and Additional memberships are made outside of the limit. Ordinary membership is open to citizens of Commonwealth Realms. Foreigners are given honorary appointments; if a foreigner subsequently becomes a citizen of a Commonwealth Realm s/he can be reclassified as an Additional member. Also, there can only ever be up to 30 ordinary Principal Companions at any one time.
- Reference: Sections 6–11 of the Statutes of the Order
Insignia
- The Collar is a gold chain of korus (in an "S" shape) and the "central medallion of the badge", with the Coat of Arms of New Zealand hanging at the centre. Hanging from the Coat of Arms hangs the badge of the Order. The collar is worn only by the Sovereign and the Chancellor of the Order.
- The Star is an eight-pointed star, gold for Principal Companions and silver for Distinguished Companions, with the appearance of fern leaves, bearing at the centre the badge of the Order. It is worn on the left chest.
- The Badge for the three highest classes is a gold and white enamel cross with curved edges. The central disc has the Coat of Arms of New Zealand, surrounded by a ring in green enamel bearing the Motto of the Order, and topped by a royal crown. The badge for Officers and Members are similar, but in silver-gilt and silver respectively. Principal Companions wear the badge on a sash worn over the right shoulder; Distinguished Companions and Companions wear a necklet (men) or a bow on the left shoulder (women). For Officers and Members it is worn from a ribbon on the left chest (men) or a bow on the left shoulder (women).
- The ribbon and sash is plain red ochre.
Precedence and privileges
Section 50 of the Order's statutes outline the heraldic privileges associated with membership in the Order.Principal Companions (and Knights and Dames Grand Companion) are granted the right to heraldic supporters, a privilege not common among private persons. They, and Distinguished Companions (ordinary Knights and Dames) are also granted the right to have the Order's circlet (a green, gold-edged circle with the Order's motto) surrounding the shield on their coat of arms. The Chancellor is entitled to have a representation of the Collar of the Order around his/her shield, in addition to the supporters.
Important members and officials of the Order
- Sovereign: HM The Queen
- Knights and Dames Grand Companion and Principal Companions:
- *Rt Hon. Sir Michael Hardie Boys GNZM GCMG QSO (1996)
- *Rt Hon. Sir William Birch GNZM (1999)
- *Rt Hon. Dame Sian Elias GNZM (1999)
- *Rt Rev. Te Whakahuihui Vercoe PCNZM MBE (5 June 2000)
- *Emeritus Professor Lloyd Geering PCNZM CBE (30 December 2000)
- *Hon. Dame Silvia Cartwright PCNZM DBE (20 March 2001)
- *Sir Patrick Ledger Goodman PCNZM CBE (3 June 2002)
- *Rt Hon. Sir Ivor Lloyd Morgan Richarson PCNZM (3 June 2002)
- *Prof. Paul Terence Callaghan PCNZM (31 January 2005)
- *Judge Anand Satyanand PCNZM (5 June 2006)
- Officials:
- *Chancellor: Dame Silvia Cartwright PCNZM DBE (Governor-General of New Zealand)
- *Herald: Phillip O'Shea (New Zealand Herald Extraordinary)
- *Secretary and Registrar: Diane Morcom (Clerk of the Executive Council of New Zealand)
- Reference: Sovereign, Chancellor, Secretary and Registrar, and Herald: The New Zealand Order of Merit; Knights and Dames Grand Companion and Principal Companions: Principal and Distinguished Companions of The New Zealand Order of Merit and Knights and Dames.
References
External links
- [The New Zealand Order of Merit] at Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Accessed 22 February 2006. Has images of the various insignia.
- [The Governor-General (second from left) is wearing the sash of the Order.]
- [Statutes of the New Zealand Order of Merit] by Royal Warrant of 30 May 1996 (SR 1996/205). Accessed 22 February 2006.
| New Zealand Orders in the New Zealand Honours System |
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