Queen's Birthday Honours: Dr Barry Knight

Barry Knight took a locum job in Tokoroa in 1965 - and never left.

Barry Knight is "shocked, deeply moved but delighted" to receive recognition for his service as a doctor at the end of his career.

After spending 50 years serving the Tokoroa community, Dr Knight has retired recently to his holiday home in Whangamata with his wife Judith.

He graduated from Otago University in 1962 and in 1965, took a locum job in Tokoroa to help save money to travel to Britain - and never left.

His duties included obstetric and anaesthetic duties at Tokoroa Hospital. His citation said Dr Knight had a good reputation for early diagnostic skills and early referral for specialist care. He was also known for providing medical services to some families without seeking payment, but Dr Knight brushed this off.

"We all do that."

Dr Knight assisted with more than 2000 births over his career.

"We enjoyed it so much and made so many friends we stayed 50 years. Tokoroa was a booming South Waikato timber town with a young population of 19,000 and a high birth rate. My work in general practice was busy and challenging with accident, police, obstetric and hospital anaesthetic work.

"I have had a long and eventful medical journey in Tokoroa with some quite exceptional colleagues.

"It was a journey I could not have made without the support of my loving wife Judith, my patients' best advocate."

He was also the president of the Rotary Club of Tokoroa.

Dr Knight said he had "absolutely no idea" he had been nominated for the Queen's Service Medal and was "shocked, deeply moved but delighted" to receive it.

"This medal will always remind me of Tokoroa , a town and community we loved in the 1960s - always have, and still do."