The 1972 New Year Honours in New Zealand were appointments by

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

on the advice of the New Zealand government to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by New Zealanders. The awards celebrated the passing of 1971 and the beginning of 1972, and were announced on 1 January 1972. The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour.

Knight Bachelor

* Bernard Thomas O'Connell – of

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

. For outstanding services to manufacturing and commerce.

Order of Saint Michael and Saint George

Companion (CMG)

* Alfred Lawrence Friis – of

Tauranga Tauranga (, Māori language for "resting place," or "safe anchorage") is a coastal city in the Bay of Plenty Region and the List of cities in New Zealand, fifth-most populous city of New Zealand, with an urban population of or roughly 3% of t ...

. For very valuable services to the dairy industry. * Roy Granville McElroy – of

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

. For very valuable services to the community. File:Roy McElroy.jpg, Roy McElroy

Order of the British Empire

Knight Commander (KBE)

;Civil division * Thomas Harcourt Clarke Caughey – of Auckland. For outstanding services to health administration. File:Harcourt Caughey.jpg, Sir Harcourt Caughey

Commander (CBE)

;Civil division * Harold Iver Austad – of Wellington. For very valuable services to athletics. * Alan Fleming Gilkison – of

Invercargill Invercargill ( , ) is the southernmost and westernmost list of cities in New Zealand, city in New Zealand, and one of the Southernmost settlements, southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland Region, Southlan ...

. For very valuable services to the community. * George Searle – of Wellington. For very valuable services as Director-General of the

New Zealand Post Office The New Zealand Post Office (NZPO) was a government department of New Zealand until 1987. It was previously (from 1881 to 1959) named the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Department (NZ P&T). As a government department, the New Zealand Post Office ...

. * Alan Stewart – of

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; , colloquially known as Palmerston or Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatū Plains, the city is near the north bank of the Manaw ...

. For very valuable services to education. ;Military division * Commodore Edward Courtney Thorne –

Royal New Zealand Navy The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN; ) is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. The fleet currently consists of eight ships. The Navy had its origins in the Naval Defence Act 1913, and the subsequent acquisition of the cruiser , whi ...

. * Major-General Leslie Arthur Pearce – Brigadiers' List (Regular Force). File:Alan Stewart 1962 (cropped).jpg, Alan Stewart

Officer (OBE)

;Civil division * Neil Colquhoun Begg – of

Dunedin Dunedin ( ; ) is the second-most populous city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from ("fort of Edin"), the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of S ...

. For valuable services to the community. * George James Brocklehurst – of Wellington. For valuable services as chairman of the Social Security Commission. * Maurice Alister Brook – of Auckland. For valuable services, as a judge of the

Māori Land Court The Māori Land Court () is the specialist court of record in New Zealand that hears matters relating to Māori land. Established in 1865 as the Native Land Court, its purpose was to translate customary communal landholdings into individual ti ...

and judge of the High Court of the

Cook Islands The Cook Islands is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands whose total land area is approximately . The Cook Islands' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers of ocean. Avarua is its ...

. * Ian Donald Arthur Cameron – of

Wairarapa The Wairarapa (; ), a geographical region of New Zealand, lies in the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay Region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service t ...

. For valuable services to the community. * Arnold Edwin Clark – of

Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. It is also a non-metropolitan district, local government district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, bor ...

. For valuable services as chairman of the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Council. * Duncan Sandford Cox – of Auckland. For valuable services to tourism and the accountancy profession. * Selwyn Osgood Field – of

Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

, Switzerland. For valuable services to youth. * Margaret Katherine Holt – of

Hawke's Bay Hawke's Bay () is a region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region is named for Hawke Bay, which was named in honour of Edward Hawke. The region's main centres are the cities of Napier and Hastings, while the more rural ...

. For valuable services to the community. * David Fiander Horlor – of

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

. For valuable services to education. * Wiremu Peka Kerekere – of Wellington. For valuable services to the

Māori people Māori () are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand. Māori originated with settlers from East Polynesia, who arrived in New Zealand in several waves of Māori migration canoes, c ...

. * Horace McGregor Kirk – of Auckland. For valuable services to the community. * Malcolm Arnold Rickard – of Wellington. For valuable services to broadcasting and music. * Margaret Grace Turnbull – of Wellington. For valuable services as chief commissioner,

Girl Guides Association Girlguiding is the operating name of The Guide Association in the United Kingdom, previously named The Girl Guides Association, which was formed in 1910. It is the original Girl Guides organisation in the world and, in 1928, became a founding m ...

. * William Leslie Francis Utley – of

Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...

. For valuable services to surgery. ;Military division * Surgeon Commander Malcolm Hames Watson –

Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve The Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNZNVR) is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). History Early history The first Naval Volunteer Force (New Zealand), Volunteer units were formed in Auckland and Nels ...

. * Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Ian Launder –

Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment The Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment is the parent administrative regiment and corps of regular and reserve infantry battalions in the New Zealand Army. It was originally formed in 1947 with a singular Regular regiment and multiple reserve ...

(Regular Force). * Wing Commander William Neil Alexander McKay –

Royal New Zealand Air Force The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF; ) is the aerial warfare, aerial military service, service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed initially in 1923 as a branch of the New Zealand Army, being known as the New Zealand Perm ...

Member (MBE)

;Civil division * George Albert Benson – of

Wanganui Whanganui, also spelt Wanganui, is a list of cities in New Zealand, city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest nav ...

. For services to athletics. * Hugh Morrish Besley – of

Taupō Taupō (), sometimes written Taupo, is a town located in the central North Island of New Zealand. It is situated on the edge of Lake Taupō, which is the largest freshwater lake in New Zealand. Taupō was constituted as a borough in 1953. It h ...

. For services to local government. * Eileen Brown – of

New Plymouth New Plymouth () is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, in Devon, from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. The New Pl ...

. For services to the community. * Denver Harold Calder – of

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...

. For services to the community. * Ronald James Doherty – of Woodville. For services to the trade union movement. * Leslie Ernest Farr – of

Rangiora Rangiora is the largest town and seat of the Waimakariri District, in Canterbury Region, Canterbury, New Zealand. It is north of Christchurch, and is part of the Christchurch metropolitan area. With an estimated population of Rangiora is the ...

. For services to local government. * Charles Edmund Forsyth – of

West Otago West Otago is the local name given to part of the region of Otago, New Zealand, lying close to the border with Southland. It is administratively connected to South Otago, but is geographically separated from it by a range of hills known as the B ...

. For services to the community. * Matthew Green – of

Feilding Feilding is a town in the Manawatū District of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on New Zealand State Highway 54, State Highway 54, 20 kilometres north of Palmerston North. The town is the seat of the Manawatū District Council. ...

. For services to local government. * George Davidson Griffiths – of Christchurch. For services to the community. * Ethel Winifred Jessie Harwood – of

Rotorua Rotorua () is a city in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. It is sited on the southern shores of Lake Rotorua, from which it takes its name. It is the seat of the Rotorua Lakes District, a territorial authorities of New Zea ...

. For services to education. * Muir James McGlashen – of

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

. For services to local government. * John Alexander McNeish – of Brunner. For services to the community. * Moya Clare McTamney – of

Masterton Masterton () is a large town in the Wellington Region, Greater Wellington Region of New Zealand that operates as the seat of the Masterton District (a territorial authority or local-government district). It is the largest town in the Wairarapa ...

. For services as a nurse in South Vietnam. * Henry Francis Miller – of

Russell Russell may refer to: People * Russell (given name) * Russell (surname) * Lady Russell (disambiguation) * Lord Russell (disambiguation) ** Bertrand Russell *Justice Russell (disambiguation) Places *Russell Island (disambiguation) *Mount Russel ...

. For services to local government * Alfred Benjamin Muggeridge – of

South Taranaki South Taranaki is a territorial authority on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island that contains the towns of Hāwera (the seat of the district), Manaia, Ōpunake, Patea, Eltham, and Waverley. The District has a land area of 3,575.46&nb ...

. For services to the community. * John Joseph Nimon – of

Havelock North Havelock North () is a town in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, situated less than 2 km south-east of the city of Hastings. It was a borough for many years until the 1989 reorganisation of local government saw it merg ...

. For services to the community. * Alfred Clarence Paine – of Invercargill. For services to the community. * Richard Charles Parker – of Gisborne. For services to local government. * Harry Leonard Riley – of

Golden Bay Golden Bay may refer to: * Golden Bay / Mohua Golden Bay / Mohua is a large shallow bay in New Zealand's Tasman District, near the northern tip of the South Island. An arm of the Tasman Sea, the bay lies northwest of Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aore ...

. For services to local government. * Herbert Donald Robertson – of Wanganui. For services to the community. * The Reverend Ewing Campbell Stevens – of Dunedin. For services as a minister of religion. * Henry Charles-Tod – of

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

. For services to the community. * Ernest Cecil Wright – of

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

. For services to the community. ;Military division * Lieutenant Commander Francis Edward John Mason – Royal New Zealand Navy. * Stores Warrant Officer Noel Lindsay Walker – Royal New Zealand Navy. * Major Andrew Lawrence Fleming – Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (Territorial Force). * Major (Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel) Peter Gibson Hotop – Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (Regular Force). * Captain (Temporary Major) Eruini Taharua Te Moananui –

Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps The Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps (RNZAC) is the overall umbrella grouping of Regular Force and Territorial Force units equipped with armoured vehicles in the New Zealand Army. The corps was formed in 1942 as the New Zealand Armoured Corp ...

(Territorial Force). * Squadron Officer Beverley Ethne Bowler –

Women's Royal New Zealand Air Force A woman is an adult female human. Before adulthood, a female child or adolescent is referred to as a girl. Typically, women are of the female sex and inherit a pair of X chromosomes, one from each parent, and women with functional uteruses ...

. * Warrant Officer Thomas Methven – Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Companion of the Imperial Service Order (ISO)

* Joseph Langmuir Hunter – of Wellington. For valuable services as Assistant Director-General of Education.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

;Civil division * Olive Mary Barker – of

Timaru Timaru (; ) is a port city in the southern Canterbury Region of New Zealand, located southwest of Christchurch and about northeast of Dunedin on the eastern Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast of the South Island. The Timaru urban area is home to peo ...

. For services to the community. * Edward Francis Bradley – of Auckland. For services to education. * Clifford Bruce Collins – of Nelson; mechanical overseer, Ministry of Works. * Gordon Harold Cowles – of Christchurch. For services to the community. * Florence Laurel Craig – of Auckland. For services to education. * Francis Patrick Mahony – of Napier. For services as a mail contractor. * Elsie Constance Odell – of Riverton. For services to the community. * Cyril Walter Partridge – of

Te Puke Te Puke ( ) is a town located southeast of Tauranga in the Western Bay of Plenty of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for the cultivation of kiwifruit. Te Puke is close to Tauranga and Maketu, which are both coastal towns/cities, a ...

. For services to the community. * Jessie May Quarrie – of

Helensville Helensville () is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is sited northwest of Auckland, close to the southern extremity of the Kaipara Harbour. State Highway 16 passes through the town, connecting it to Waimauku to the south, and Ka ...

. For services as matron of Helensville Obstetric Hospital. * Peter Robson – of

Mana Mana may refer to: Religion and mythology * Mana (Oceanian cultures), the spiritual life force energy or healing power that permeates the universe in Melanesian and Polynesian mythology * Mana (food), archaic name for manna, an edible substance m ...

. For services to the community. * Dorothy Jenner Wales – of Christchurch. for services to the community. * Leonard Ryan Williams – of

Alexandra Alexandra () is a female given name of Greek origin. It is the first attested form of its variants, including Alexander (, ). Etymology, Etymologically, the name is a compound of the Greek verb (; meaning 'to defend') and (; genitive, GEN , ; ...

. For services to the community. ;Military division * Chief Engineering Mechanic Noel Rapana Flesher – Royal New Zealand Navy. * Chief Radio Electrical Artificer Edward Arthur Postance – Royal New Zealand Navy. * Chief Radio Mechanic Albert Alexander Tiriana – Royal New Zealand Navy. * Sergeant Garry Belchamber –

Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps The Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps (RNZAMC) is a corps of the New Zealand Army, the land branch of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). The Medical Corps provides for the medical needs of soldiers, such as diagnosing and treating disease ...

(Territorial Force). * Corporal (Temporary Sergeant) Michael Roger Arthur Carter –

Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers The Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RNZEME) was a New Zealand Army Corps comprising Army trained tradesmen (craftsmen) who repaired Army equipment wherever New Zealand Forces served. Prior to 1946 NZEME functions were carr ...

(Regular Force). * Staff Sergeant Herbert Desmond Smith – Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (Territorial Force). * Staff Sergeant Thelma Audrey Wigley –

Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps The Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps (RNZNC) is a corps of the New Zealand Army. The corps was initially formed in 1915 from civilian nurses who volunteered for service during World War I, and who were granted honorary officer ranks. A Nursin ...

(Regular Force). * Sergeant Gerald William Gaston – Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Air Force Cross (AFC)

* Squadron Leader Trevor Thomas Bland – Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Queen's Police Medal (QPM)

* Burton Bernard Bevege – Detective Superintendent, New Zealand Police Force. * Joseph William Saunders – Chief Superintendent, New Zealand Police Force.

Queen's Fire Service Medal (QFSM)

* Robert Allan Davidson – chief fire officer, Timaru Fire Brigade. * Lumsden-Vickers Trass – chief fire officer, Levin Fire Brigade.

Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air

* Master Air Electronics Operator Barry James Hogg – Royal New Zealand Air Force.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:New Year Honours 1972 (New Zealand) New Year Honours (New Zealand) 1972 awards 1972 in New Zealand