The editorial in the NZ Herald describes the appointment of Prince Charles to head the miniscule NZ military as “discordant” (in the light of the referendum in November to remove the Union Jack from the NZ flag) adding that “ridiculous military titles” will jar with those who see the honorary appointments as a colonial hangover. Speculating that they could have been made to provide a reason for the Prince’s visit in November, the paper says that this rationale is about as spurious as those given three years ago when the Duke of Edinburgh was appointed to the Order of New Zealand, the country’s highest honour, restricted to 20 living citizens. It considers that the forthcoming visit otherwise appears to have no purpose and adds that the appointments “hark back to the stuffiness that once turned NZers off the monarchy”. It ends by saying that while William and Harry are popular, “empty honours for their father can only aid the republican cause”. [Editorial, The New Zealand Herald, 8 August 2015]
Woman for an Australian Republic, Adelaide Ironside, republican poet and artist 1831-1867
Self portrait 1855, Newcastle Art Gallery NSW
