LONDON LETTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 161, 10 July 1930, Page 5

LONDON LETTER.

SEASON'S FASTER PACE. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S ACTIVITIES. NEW ZEALANDERS ABROAD. (From Our Own Correspondent,) LONDON, May 29. The social pacc is getting faster and faster, even if for a moment the King's attack of rheumatism gave it a temporary check. However, on the announcement being made that if painful the attack is of a very ordinary kind the social round was renewed with zest. The King is cutting out only the two Courts, as it was not thought advisable that he. should undergo the strain of sitting in the same position and bowing while the stream of debutantes pass before the Throne, which would certainly not be beneficial. The recent cold and damp weather must be held responsible for the attack, but it is hoped that he will be able to carry out his engagements in a day or two. When the King fell from his horse in the war it was his right hip which was most injured, and it is probably due to this that the rheumatism has localised itself there now. Pessimists Rebuked. The High Commissioner for New Zealand, in his speech at the Wedgwood bicentenary, struck the right note when ho said Josiah Wedgwood was the genius who stamped his individuality on art and who created poems in pottery. Every child in every school in New Zealand, said Mr. Wilford, knew the name of Wedgwood, who was the rare bird who appeared once in many centuries and left his impression for all time. Such men ./ere born and not made. Mr. Wilford criticised the pessimists who were always running England down. "Some of our leading men in this .country," he said, "seem to be creating among themselves a sort of national inferiority complex. I think there is no doubt whatever that a country which could weather the storm of a great war entirely unprepared can surely weather any economic crisis." Empire or Commonwealth? The High Commissioner attended the Royal Empire Society annual dinner. There, were seven hundred guests and it tested even the accommodation of the Connaught Rooms big hall, to hold so big a gathering. The venue was the same curiously enough as that of the ■big luncheon to the Liberal candidates before the general election! Mr. Alexander, Minister of War, gave a stirring speech in which he stressed the British Commonwealth of Nations, and declared that this Government was as eager for its welfare as any. Mr. Bruce then sprang to his feet and in burning words declared his liking for the old term Empire. One Liberal paper commenting on Mr. Bruce's speech says: "Mr. Bruce straightway went off the deep, end and reminded us how the Empire had fought the .Spanish Armada and had sent its fleet to shatter the pretensions of Napoleon, though as to how much of an Empire Ave had then nobody seemed certain. It was the sort of speech .not heard .in London for the best part of a dozen years, and it certainly made both Mr. Alexander and Mr. Clvnes rub their' eyes. And when Mr, Bruce sat down, if a Canadian didn't rise and also declare amidst frantic cheering that the British Empire was run neither by a Lenin of Moscow, nor a Mussolini of Rome, nor a Thompson of Chicago, and that the beloved word was good enough for him." Mr. Alexander's reference had been entirely politic and wise and emphasised the courage of the First Lord in stressing the word commonwealth before a. dinner party of the Royal Empire Society. The Flower Show. The Chelsea flower show, too, gives good publicity to this year's apple crop for in the competition for the southern hemisphere championship in dessert fruit, in which Australia and South Africa also competed, the New Zealand exhibit of Jonathans won the prize. Any New Zealand visitors to the Chelsea show will agree that the fruit and Vegetable display there is something extraordinarily fine, even in a show which always is in the first rank of shows. The display, too—with the exception of the apples which were just in cases as they are for sale —at Chelsea is a marvel of exhibition art; the perfection of each exhibit and the colour scheme of the most homely vegetables such that they make a perfect picture. I have seen shows in. other countries and can say that the Royal Horticultural Society's annual show is worth coming to England to see. Chelsea is the glory cf gardeners because it provides a standard of perfection and raises English flowergrowing to the height of its achievement. The perfection of it all is almost too much, for the great tent is a paradise of flowere from which every pest and blight and insect has been sternly banished. There is not a shrivelled leaf, and the very grass borders are like stainless emerald. Mrs. (now Lady) Wilford is a member of the Royal Horticultural Society and attends not only such important fixtures as tliis big annual event, but their fortnightly displays, which, if small, are not inferior in quality to the bif show. Now that she has settled in ,a house of her own complete with garden she is able to follow her bent, and like a. good horticulturist went .early to Covent Garden and bought the flowers which are now burgeoning in her London garden. Press of New Zealand Visitors. There may be talk of hard times in New Zealand, but we in London cannot I see much evidence of it. For there are

as many visitors a 6 ever and we understand that S4O applications have been received |rom New Zealand visitors for the garden party at Buckingham Palace in July. Since one invitation may include a husband and wife and a daughter or daughters, this means that moro than a thousand people want to go. The High Commissioner has decided that there is only one fair method for dealing with such a situation and the invitations will be ballotted for. Mr. Wilford (now Sir Thomas), in conversation with your correspondent, confessed that this sort of thing was the hardest part of a High Commissioner's job. The same thing happens with the Trooping of the Colours for far more applications have been received than there are seats available in the official stand on which a number—not very large—is allotted to the Dominion. These places, too, were ballotted for. New Zealand Honey. Mr. J. Rentoul, chairman of the New Zealand Honey Producers' Board, returned yesterday from a visit to the Continent, where New Zealand honey is having a very good sale. In an interview Mr. Rentoul said, "My visit was made for the purpose of calling at the different centres where we have selling agents .extablished for our. Imperial bee honey. The countries visited were Holland, Germany, Denmark, Norway (as far as Bergem), and Sweden as far as Stockholm. The standing of New Zealand honey in those countries is particularly good; it takes first place after the locally produced article, while in many cases I heard that it was preferred even to the local. honey owing to its reliable quality. The local honey is very varied in quality and flavour. New Zealanders Abroad. . Sir James Parr was the first speaker of the summer term at the new Oxford University Empire Free Trade Club's meeting last Friday night at Rhodes House. The aim of the club is to let" young Oxford have a chance of hearing leaders of the Empire Free Trade party "to study and discuss the new ideal in a non-partisan, dispassionate and sincere spirit." This week's speaker is Lord Elibank. Mr. E. 0. MacKay, of Te Kuiti, Auckland, arrived here early in May, having travelled via Suez. During the voyage he was unfortunate enough to contract malaria, and a slight attack of pneumonia, causing him to cancel his arrangements for a Continental tour, but lie hopes to do this later on. Mr, W. Cassels-Brown, of' Auckland, travelled over via Canada and America. He has come over on business connected with ceramic industries, and'represented New Zealand at the Ceramic Society's meetings in honour of the Wedgwood bicentenary at the ce'ebrations at Stoke-on-Trent. Mr. Cassels-Brown expects to spend a further eight weeks in England and on the Continent, before returning to New Zealand. Mr. A. A. Creamer, of Onehunga, came over by the Orient Line. He toured. Egypt and Palestine, Naples, Rome, Florence, . Switzerland, Brussels and Holland, and visited the war graves. Mr. Creamer will remain in England for • three months, and will then .go to Oberammergau to see the Passion Play. He will return to London, and then go to New York, spending about three months in the United States, and will stay at Honolulu on the return journey to New Zpaland.