Obiutuary: 'Lady ambassador' was a first for New Zealand

Barbara Angus.

Barbara Angus, CMG, diplomat. Died aged 81.

The appointment of Barbara Angus to Manila in 1978 was a milestone in New Zealand diplomatic circles. She was the country's first woman ambassador, and only the third to be made a head of mission overseas.

"The Philippines are in for a shock," said the New Zealand Ambassador to Washington, Lloyd White, at the time of the Angus appointment. "They'll be expecting a lady ambassador who is gracious, courteous, well-dressed with her hair done right and who is a credit to New Zealand women.

"What they'll find, as well as all that, is that they've got a highly efficient, hard-working diplomat who knows her stuff."

Miss Angus died at Paraparaumu on February 4, after a long illness.

She began her career in the Department of External Affairs, as it was then, in 1950, after completing a master's degree in history at Otago University.

Women were not allowed to become diplomatic trainees then, so Miss Angus was employed in the administrative section, and worked there for 10 years before transferring to the diplomatic section.

Even when posted to Washington in 1954 as an information officer, she did not have diplomatic status. That came in 1962, when she served as second secretary in Singapore.

The appointment to the Philippines followed a stint as minister of the New Zealand Embassy in Washington, the number-two job.

Again, Miss Angus was the highest-ranking woman in the embassy, and the appointment was the highest held by any woman in an overseas posting.

During Miss Angus's time in Manila, the relationship between New Zealand and the Philippines was still developing.

"I think the fact of my being a woman in the job has been quite helpful," she said in an interview on her return to New Zealand. "I've enjoyed the sort of pioneer role."

Miss Angus retired in 1988. She was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) the same year. She is survived by her brother and sister.