Ohinemuri Regional History Journal 46, September 2002
Former Paeroa businessman, Peter Hanan, was honoured in the 2002 Queen's Birthday Honour's List when he became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. He was nominated for the Award by the IHC and the Morrinsville RSA. Mr Hanan was a founding President, in 1963, of the IHC Thames sub-branch and has been the treasurer of the Morrinsville RSA since 1984.
Mr Hanan, now aged eighty-six, was born in Morrinsville. In 1939 he enlisted in the RNZAF and became a Spitfire pilot and he has been both a farmer and a chartered accountant.
In 1938 and 1950 he represented New Zealand in swimming at the Empire Games.
At the 125th Jubilee of the Morrinsville Primary and District High School held during Queen's Birthday Weekend, 2002, he had the honour of ringing the school bell.