1935 Henry Black Receives the Commander of the British Empire Award (C.B.E.) From the King.
A front page story from the January 2, 1935 Regina
Leader Post
“Henry Black On King’s Honors List” Henry Black - outstanding
Regina citizen who was made a Commander of the British Empire (civil) Only
Sask Man on New Year’s Honors List” Regina resident for 32 years was lauded
for his work as Chairman of the Saskatchewan Relief Commission” One of
Regina’s outstanding citizens, Mr. Black has been Mayor, alderman and collegiate
board trustee. He was born in Granville Ontario in 1875, one of a family
of nine. At 21 he left home to engage in earning a livelihood for himself,
his first venture being operating a store at a railway construction camp
in Ontario. Later he migrated to British Columbia where, in Kaslo, a mining
town, he operated a contracting and cartage business. He came to Regina
in 1903 and engaged in the contracting business. In 1914 he entered public
civic life, winning an aldermanic seat. He served as alderman for three
years and in 1917 was elected mayor. He was re-elected in 1918. He served
another term as alderman in 1922. From 1930 to the present he has been
a member of the collegiate board. In 1931, when the province was facing
a crisis because the drouth and the depression, Mr. Black was asked by
the government to assume Chairmanship of the Saskatchewan Relief Commission.
His duties in that capacity ended with the disbanding of the commission
late in 1933. Mr. Black, in a statement Wednesday said: “I very much appreciate
the honor which has been bestowed upon me. I fully realize that it was
only through the loyal and sympathetic co-operation of members of ours
staff that the Saskatchewan Relief Commission was enabled to attain the
record which it has achieved. Being aware, as they were, from the numerous
daily appeals coming from their fellow citizens in the vast country areas
under our jurisdiction of the seriousness of the situation, it was necessary
for them to work for days running into nights for weeks and months. I am
therefore proud to have been the one selected to head an organization for
the purpose of relieving human suffering and I am of the opinion that the
results achieved will be hard to equal.”