/ THE MILITARY AND HOSPITALLER ORDER.,$ OF SAINT LAZARUS OF JERUSALEM jfj~ BAILIWICK OF New Zealand Newsletter Vol. V. No .l. (21) February, 1976 CEREMONY OF ADMISSION INTO THE ORDER OF SAINT LAZARUS IN THE 17TH. CENTURY . •,.. QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS FROM H.E. THE BAILIFF COLONEL THE CHEV. A. R. HUGHES, GCLJ, KMLJ, JP. 'The cererrony held in Auckland to admit three Pos tulants to the Order and award and prorrote sane of our Members was nost successful. 'Ihe cerercony itself was ccrrmented o n by several of our distinguished visitors as the TIDst col ourful and dignified occasion they had attended for a long time. One of them said that New Zealand needed colour and cererrony as it seened to him to be sanething that i s l acking in our national makeup. Apart fran this, the history of the Order given by Chevalier Roberts was received with very great appreciation by th:>se that were not av.are o f the age or the work of the Order down i ts 800 odd years of existence. At the social gathering after the cererrony , the Baili=: called on repr e s entatives of rredici ne, law, aviation, and the Order of Saint John to briefly speak. 01.arles Hutchinson, Esq., M. B .E., Q.C. was a v.urthy representative of his calling and his short speech was that of a learned counsel, tinged with a certain hurrour. One wit said afterwards, he enjoyed it so much because at times Mr. Hutchinson' s hurrour reminded him of the television shew "Misleading Cases". Dr . Ellis Dick, our Hospitaller, responded on behalf of the medical pr ofession and his wi se remarks were very well received. The M:lyor of Waitanata City, Mr . J.C. Colvin, brought the best wishes o f his Council to all members of the Order and camrented on the fine w:Jrk being done by the Order through its Emergency Service in West Auckland. Our old friend , Confrere R.S. Higg.inJ:::otharn happily touched on his school days, sorre 75 years ago, and the influence on his life by a fine headmaster. :!e said i t was because of this man's pointing out to him that true happiness in life came through the service to others, he was abl e with his late wife, M3.bel Higgi nl:::otham to comrence his charitable work. No rrore fitting award than the Bronze ~al he received signifying as it does the recognition of his services, could have been rrade. Captain Nevil le Jackson, one of New Zealand's forerrost aviators, SPJke wi th distinction al:out rrodern progress and the need for spiritual ideals, :md comnended the Order or. its f ostering of these ideals. Our member, .R:>ss Sanford, 3.lso a member of the Order o f St John, 3poke on i ts behalf. We were happy to have the Order of St John represented by Dr. ·,1att, Mr. E.M. .Mathison and Dr. Lindo Fergusson. Apologies were received from Sir Tlunas Skinner and Mr . K. Korman. This happy occasi on was a milestone in the history of the Order in New Zealand. I~ VESTITUP£ CERE~ONY 1975 - NEWS FROM THE GRAND CHANCERY * * * H .R. H. The Grand M:tster has been pleased to raise the Delegation of the Dutch Tongue to the Status of a Corrnandery and to api::oint the Chev . Henri A. van den Akker to be it's Carrnander. ***H.R.H. The Grand Master has reen pleased to appoint the Chev. John Patrick The Chancellor Chev. L.J. Hill (Right) , Fitzpatrick, GCLJ, Grand Banner Bearer elevated to the rank of Knight Ccrrrnander, and M:rober of the Supreme Council. congratulates Mr . R.S . Higgintotham, MLJ, OMLJ, of Henderson who was dea:>rated with ***Their Ibyal Highnesses The Prince the Bronze M2dal for his support of Grand Master and the Princess arrived in numerous charities. Strasl:ourg on the 5th. December 1975. 1'hey were welcaned by the Prior and Jff icers of the Priory of lUsace and by Praroted to the grade of the Grand 01ancellor. H.E. The Grand Officer Canpanion: Crnmander, the lady of Gayre, the Juridicial Councillor (M:l.itre D. Paneff) , DR EIJ•7AHD RCCHE of Auckland the Grand Sword Bearer (Sir William Steward), the Grand Banner Bearer (Chev . ~'1R MURD'.X::H M::OONAI:D John P. Fitzpatrick) and the Heads of of North canterburv Jurisdictions - Chev . J. de Beaugourdon (France) , Chev . W. Eickenberg (Genrany) , MRS RHOQll. McJ:OW>...LD Chev. Schul:erth (Austria) and Chev. Salgo of ".\lorth Canterbury (representing the Grand Prior of Alrerica) paid their respects to H.R.H. at the Hotel. H.R.H. presided at the Investiture Cererrony O.L. J. held at the Church of Ste. Aurelie and official visits were paid to the President Admitted to the grade of Mayor (who gave a reception in honour of M:nber carpanion: the Grand Master) and to the Prefect of Alsace. DR SURNA.ED JAMES EI.LIOTT of M:t tarra ta ***It is announced that H.R.H. The Grand Master has agreed that the next Grand MR INGRHA.M MERVYN HA.1'MJND Magistral Council will re held in of Auckland SALZBUffi IN JUNE 197 6. Members of the -ga_iliwick of !\Jew Zealand who propose to attend this gathering are kindly requested CAPT RAIPH SILVESTER ~ of Christchurch to contact the F.di tor Confrere A. Abela for further details. M.L.J. Page 3 PRIME MINISTER ATTENDS FUNCTION OF THE COMMANDERY OF THE SOUTH ISLAND , NZ . MEMBERS of the South Island Commandery attended a very successful dinner function at the Avon Motor Lodge in Christchurch recently. The Rt. Hon. R.D. Muldoon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, very graciously accepted an invitation and attended the function, and presented the Hon . H.J. Walker, MLJ, Minister for Social Welfare, with his Certificate of Membership of the Order of Saint Lazarus. Present at the gathering were:- The Vice-Chancellor and Commander of the South Island Commandery the Chev. Edward Roberts and Dame Amy Roberts, Chev. James Mccready and Mrs. Maiada Mccready, Mr. and Mrs. I.K. Dunbar , the THE HON H J WALKER MLJ Rt.Rev. Monsignor G.V. Daly, Mr. and Mrs. M. W. .t-1.inister for Social Welfare McDonald, Mr. and Mrs. P .A. Pepperell , Mr. and Mrs. P.L. Power, The Hon. H.J. Walker and Mrs. Walker, Mrs. Margaret Fordyce and Miss A. Fordyce, Colonel and Mrs. B.T. McMahon, and Miss F.Preston . Confrere P.L. Power took the opportunity to present the Balance Sheet and Accounts of the Commandery and a collection of $50 was donated to the Leprosy Mission and t o the Cheshire-Ryder Appeal Fund. The meeting also resolved to donate a further $50 to the Leper Trust Board. A telegram of apology for absence and conveying good wishes was received at the meeting from H.E. The Bailiff Colonel the Chev. A.R. Hughes, GCLJ , KMLJ, JP. The Vice-Chancellor and Commander of the South Island Commandery the Chev. Edward T. Roberts, SBStJ, CL, KCLJ, I~MLJ, JP, thanked all for their attendance , especially those who had travelled from Dunedin . + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + VISIT TO THE DELEGATI ON OF AUSTRALIA. On M:::mday the 9th. of February, 1976, the Chev. J.M. Caruana, KLJ, Head of the ~legation of Australi a of the Order of St Lazarus, very graciously received a call fran Confrere A.S. Abela, MLJ, who was on a short visit to Sydney, Australia. 'lhe. Chev. J.M. Caruana and Confrere A. S . Al::ela (who was officially representing H.E. 'Ihe Bailiff Colonel the Chev . A. R. Hughes, GCI.J, KMI.J, JP.) held long discussions on matters relating to the Order and a number of joint activities were proposed for the current year. A much closer co-ordination between the Bailiwick of New Zealand and the ~legation of Australia is now envisaged. Preliminary preparations are n<YW in hand for an Inaugural Investiture Cererrony to be held in Australia sometime this year, a date has not yet been set but it is hoped that when f inal arrangements are announced, several members of the New Zealand Bailiwick would be able to accompany H.E. The Bailiff to what will rrost certainly be a nost mE!IDrable occasion in the history of the Order. 'lhe Chev. J .M. Caruana , on behalf of the relegation of Australia, sent best wishes and Confraternal greetings to the Bailiwick of New Zealand and invited H.E. The Bailiff Colonel the Chev. A.R. Hughes to visit the Delegation of A.ustralia where he will be officially received. Page 4 'rnE DEFENCES OF 'IHE CIT'i OF ACRE IN THE YEAR 1291 A.O. '~FTER the fall of Jerusalem in the year 1200, the Mediterranean coastal city of Acre, some 50 miles east of Haifa, became the centre of all the Christian Crusader countries. All prominent religious, political and trading powers stationed large garrisons within the fortified walls of the city. The Patriarch of Jerusalem, after his expulsion from the Holy City, established his seat at the Cathedral of Acre. Acre was already at that time a Bishoprical seat and reference to this is traced back to 198 A.D. through the Council of Cesarea. The Bishoprical seat was deserted during the time of the crusades but was later re-established as the seat of the Metropolitan Tyrus and during his reign the city gained considerable importance. At the same time the Archbishop of the Jakobites also established his seat at Acre. All the great Sovereign Orders, the Order of St John, t he Templars, the German Tongue and the Order of St Lazarus were well established with garrisons, churches and hospitals in the city.