RIP Michael Hardie-Boys

Radio NZ reports:

Former Governor-General Sir Michael Hardie Boys has died aged 92.

Sir Michael was the Governor-General from 1996 to 2001.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon paid tribute to him on social media in announcing the death.

“His distinguished life of service to New Zealand was one of dedication and reliability,” Luxon wrote.

Michael was a family friend. He was in the same class as my father for five years at Wellington College, so they have been friends for over 75 years. It was a quite exceptional class of a dozen pupils, as around half of them became university professors, and the rest reached the top of various professions.

He became a lawyer, and like his father became a High Court Judge, and then a Court of Appeal Judge (our highest domestic court at the time). He was appointed Governor-General in 1996, and laid down principles for determining how he would determine who could become Prime Minister under MMP. These principles have been used by all subsequent Governor-Generals.

An extremely dedicated servant of New Zealand. Farewell and rest well.