Guy Powles
Sir Guy Powles High Commissioner of Western Samoa | |
---|---|
In office 1949–1960 | |
Preceded by | Francis William Voelcker |
Succeeded by | Jack Wright |
Personal details | |
Born | Guy Richardson Powles Ōtaki, New Zealand 5 April 1905 |
Died | 24 October 1994 Wellington, New Zealand | (aged 89)
Relatives | Michael Powles (son) Tim Powles (grandson) |
Alma mater | LLB, LLD Victoria University College |
Profession | Barrister |
Sir Guy Richardson Powles
Early life
Powles was born in Ōtaki, north of Wellington, in 1905. Powles was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel C. Guy Powles, a decorated military soldier who served with distinction during World War I as brigade major of New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade 1914–1916 and AA & QMG ANZAC Mounted Division 1916–1918. In 1922 he wrote the third volume of the Official History of New Zealand's Effort in the Great War, The New Zealanders in Sinai and Palestine, and in 1928 edited The history of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles 1914–1919 by officers of the regiment, and later became Chief of General Staff of the New Zealand Army.
Powles earned his LLB from Victoria University of Wellington and practised as a barrister in Wellington from 1929 to 1940. During the war, Powles went on active military service, and achieved the rank of colonel, commanding the New Zealand artillery regiment in the South Pacific at Guadalcanal and New Caledonia.
Powles was a founding member of the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs in 1934, along with
Diplomatic career
Powles joined the fledgling Department of External Affairs in 1945, working alongside such notable figures as
In 1949, Powles became New Zealand High Commissioner to Samoa: in this role, he was set to become the last New Zealand governor of that territory. Over the next ten years, Powles worked through the issues relating to Samoa's independence from New Zealand.
In 1960, Powles became New Zealand High Commissioner to India, which he served until 1962.
Powles was involved in a large number of international conferences, including the UN
Ombudsman
Powles was appointed a
Powles died in Wellington on 24 October 1994, and his ashes were buried at Karori Cemetery.[1][2]
Other information
Powles' son is diplomat Michael Powles, a former New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji, and former Ambassador to Indonesia, China, and the United Nations. His grandson is Timothy Powles, producer, engineer and drummer for Australian band The Church.
Awards
- Efficiency Decoration[3]
- Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
- In the Knight Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire[4]
- On 6 February 1990, Powles was the eighteenth appointee to The Order of New Zealand,[5] New Zealand's highest civil honour.
- Honorary LL.D from Victoria University of Wellington
- Received the Order of Tiafau, the highest award by the Samoan Government
References
- ^ Hunt, Graeme (28 November 1994). "NZ's first ombudsman dies after distinguished career". National Business Review. p. 9.
- ^ "Cemeteries search". Wellington City Council. 12 July 2012. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ^ New Zealand Army Orders 1946/87
- ^ "No. 42233". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 27 December 1960. p. 2.
- ^ "Honours and Awards" (15 February 1990) 23 New Zealand Gazette 445 at 446.