Coat of arms of New Zealand 1908 received 78 designs. The winning entry was a design by James McDonald, a draughtsman in the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts. Some adjustments were made to the design, and the arms were granted by Royal Warrant of King George V on 26 August 1911. The warrant was published in the "New Zealand Gazette" of 11 January 1912. The arms have remained similar to the original design, with minor changes made in 1956. The central shield has remained unaltered since 1911. It comprises a quartered shield containing in the first quarter four stars representing the Southern Cross constellation (as
Southern Cross Healthcare Group (New Zealand) includes insurance-funded, public-funded and self-paying patients. Nearly 1000 surgeons and anaesthetists are credentialed to practice within Southern Cross Hospitals facilities. Southern Cross Benefits Limited, established in 1982, operates as a direct-to-consumer travel-insurance business (Southern Cross Travel Insurance) that covered around 445,000 travellers in both New Zealand and Australia in the 2017 financial year. In 2012 Southern Cross Benefits Limited acquired the pet insurance book of Ellenco Pet Insurance and re-launched the business as Southern Cross Pet Insurance in 2014. As at 30 June 2017 Southern Cross Pet Insurance insured more than 21,000 cats and dogs. As a Charitable Trust, the