Selwyn Cushing, George Low, Bruce Robertson, Craig Hickson in Hastings school wall of fame

Hastings Boys' School principal Robert Sturch, Reuben Lowe, the brother of George Lowe, Craig Hickson, Old Boys' Association chairman Barry Rosenberg and Bruce Robertson. Photo/Warren Buckland

Hastings Boys' High School kicked off a special dinner with the induction of four former pupils to a new wall of fame.

The inaugural Old Boys' Dinner was held at the Hastings Boys' High School hall with nearly 200 guests last night.

Past pupils mountaineer George Lowe (deceased), business man Sir Selwyn Cushing, former All Black Bruce Robertson and businessman Craig Hickson were all inducted into a new wall of fame above the school hall entrance at the dinner.

Sir Selwyn was unable to make the event and George Lowe's brother, Reuben, represented the mountaineer.

Principal Robert Sturch said the Old Boys' Association was formed in June this year to fill a gap within the school community.

The school recognised current students well but had failed to acknowledge past pupils in the same way, he said.

"It's been one part of the school that we haven't been really strong at. That bond between the past and the present we haven't done very well."

Old Boys' Association chairman Barry Rosenberg said the inductees were a great start to the new initiative and the association planned on making it an annual event.

"These four people have excelled and really done well."

Reuben Lowe said he was pleased to be at the dinner representing his brother.

"It's a pretty big honour for George, I think he would have been delighted."

Mr Robertson, who played 34 All Blacks test matches, said he was very humbled to have been one of the first people inducted into the wall of fame.

"It came quite out of the blue. I didn't really expect it and I'm very happy that they chose me."

Mr Hickson's response to being invited into the wall of fame was feeling "proud and privileged".

"It was a surprise, it feels special. It's a fine school and the current [principal] appears to be ... enhancing their tradition."

Wall of fame faces:

George Lowe, CNZM, OBE (1924-2013) - Mountaineer

George Lowe was one of two New Zealanders on the 1953 British expedition to climb Mt Everest. He helped establish the final camp 300m below the summit the day before Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the peak.

Mr Lowe contributed to mountaineering in New Zealand and overseas and spent many years helping with the education of people in Nepal.

Sir Selwyn Cushing - Businessman

Sir Selwyn Cushing was a Hastings chartered accountant before building a significant investment portfolio and had a varied career with many large New Zealand companies including chairman of Air New Zealand Limited, Brierley Investments Limited, Carter Holt Harvey, Electricity Corporation of New Zealand Limited, Huttons Kiwi Limited and the Whitcoulls Group.

Bruce Robertson - Sportsman

Bruce John Robertson played for Counties and the All Blacks as a centre. He played 34 tests (102 All Black matches) between 1972 and 1981, and scored 34 tries (four test tries).

He played 135 matches for Counties between 1971 and 1982, making his debut for the union at the age of 19.

Robertson is regarded as one of the best centres in New Zealand rugby history.

Craig Hickson - Businessman

Craig Hickson is a Hastings businessman who started Progressive Meats more than 30 years ago and was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year in 2015.

He has become a meat industry innovator, worth millions, and owns several processing plants throughout the country.