Sirs and dames bow out for NZ honours

By EUGENE BINGHAM

New Zealand honours are about to come out of the shadows with the scrapping of knighthoods and damehoods.

The Weekend Herald understands that the cabinet decided to change the honours system last Monday but did not announce the move because it has to go through a formal process of notifying Buckingham Palace.

Changes will be made in time for the Queen's Birthday honours list in June, meaning New Zealand has had its last generation of "sirs" and "dames." They will be replaced by a revised list of Kiwi honours.

Uniquely New Zealand honours such as the Order of New Zealand are expected to assume a higher level of prestige.

Though the order is the most prestigious honour bestowed by the Government, it is seen to have been overshadowed by the titular honours.

The order is restricted to 20 living New Zealanders. World Trade Organisation head and former Prime Minister Mike Moore was the most recent entrant to the exclusive club.

The last round of knights and dames, announced in the New Year's honours, were Dame Evelyn Stokes, Justice Sir Rodney Gallen, Sir Patrick Hogan, Sir Gil Simpson and Sir John Turei.