About Us Awards For Bravery

About Us

Court of Directors

Officers

The Society's Centennial
publication

Zealandia's Brave
The Royal Humane Societies in
New Zealand
written by John D Wills
and
Published in 2001
will be found in most
Public Libraries.

It contains a complete history of the
development of the
Royal Humane Society of New
Zealand

Further information on the
publication
will be found by clicking on the link
below

Links
to

In October 2007
The Society will have been in existence
for 109 years.

On the 14th of October 1898,
a number of Canterbury Citizens, met in the
Christchurch City Council Chambers
to establish for New Zealand, an institution
to be called

Royal Humane Society for New Zealand

to function along similar lines
to those of the
Royal Humane Society of the United Kingdom
and the
Royal Humane Society of Australasia
based in Melbourne
both
of which had, until then,
bestowed Awards
for Bravery in New Zealand

Permission to use the title 'Royal' was granted
by Her Majesty the Queen
in December 1898

The new Society's principle function
was then, as it is today,

To bestow rewards upon
those who risk their own lives to save
the lives of others in peril,
and
for all humane acts of a like nature.

Since its inception the Society has enjoyed
Vice-Regal Patronage

Successive Governors
and
Governors-General
have accepted the Office of
Patron

His Excellency,
The Honourable Anand Satyanand PCNZM
will hold that Office
during his term as Governor-General

The Society is administered by a
Court of Directors

All Officials of the Society
volunteer their time

The background and experience of its members
permits the Court
to fully assess
the merits of all applications for awards
which come before them.

Actions justifying recognition are brought to the
notice of the Society
by
New Zealand Police
Coroners
The Fire Service
Members of the Public
and
Local Authorities

We became an Incorporated Society in
June 2004

The Society's Awards
are a recognised extension
of the
New Zealand Honours
System

In a
Report of the Prime Minister's
Honours Advisory Committee
Published in September 1995
prior to the discontinuation
of
Royal Honours,

Awards for bravery
of the
Royal Humane Society,
alongside those of the
Order of St John,

both of which predated the institution
of the Crown system of Awards for
Bravery in saving or attempting to save
life,

were considered to be a supplement
to the
Crown's non-combatant awards for
gallantry and bravery.

N Z Police protocol ranks them
second only to
National Honours

Our medals may officially be worn,
on the right-hand side,
on all occasions when official orders,
decorations and medals
are worn. **

** Paras 10.21 and 10.22
page 65