IN CAPITAL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 204, 28 August 1943, Page 6

IN CAPITAL

■"f.j MRS. ROOSEVELT SURPRISES EN ROUTE * (By Telegraph—Special to Star) WELLINGTON, this day. i|jji'j|; The New Zealand counterpart of 1|!|; American miners looking up from their work on a coal face to see Mrs. <•$& Roosevelt coming towards them was enacted at Paekakariki station this : ;j| ; morning, when three Marines ;| i} ; standing in the doorway were sudM§; denly confronted with the picture of jr. n' America's first lady advancing M towards them ■ with outstretched hand and a beaming smile. ApparIf||!. ently they were quite unaware of her presence in New Zealand, and jlfti- were taken entirely by surprise. TsSi' "Well, I'll be a so-and-so," ejacul|s; lated one, and the others were equally taken aback. They were the first American personnel outside ; high-ranking officials Mrs. Roosevelt had encountered in the Dominion, 5 g|K and she chatted with them for some minutes, with every sign of pleasure. It had been a pleasant uneventful ff|i trip from Auckland. All the comforts provided on the special train i-Sjj- and the railway schedule worked excellently. All meals were provided, , Mrs. Roosevelt taking her dinner in !«|I company with his Excellency, Mrs. -iff Eraser, Mr. and Mrs. Cox, Mr. and ?.fS- Mrs. Nash, Miss Ryan and the Gov-ernor-General's aide-de-camp, Major Holland-Martin. Glimpse of Back Country Mrs. Roosevelt conversed during 'St', the evening with his Excellency. Be|lf|i cause of the surprise nature of the 'S': visit few public demonstrations were seen, though on the earlier drive from the air station to the railway |®$ the distinguished visitor was recogr nised by a large number of people S|s and had to respond to hand-waving i¥M and cheers. Once, too, as the train |M passed an Auckland suburban train, 'BSC a group of school children gave an ?K|p excited greeting, and were rewarded ' ; Jj with a charming smile and a wave from Mrs. Roosevelt. '■■■■ This morning the first stop was at , Te Horo, where Mrs. Roosevelt had i her first glimpse of New Zealand back country under beautiful sunny !* :; conditions. Frost had touched the ;S' grass with white, and in the distance, , - through a gap in the surrounding ['I# hills, were glimpsed snow-covered ." pinnacles. Mrs. Roosevelt expressed V interest in all about-her, and asked v numerous questions of the Internal l Affairs officers who acted as guides. [;;•$ The train stopped there for an hour, ! >' allowing the Limited to get ahead. Wellington Cheers Wellington, too, had delightful ■'iff' weather to offer, and an air of being }?■■ en fete. The visit coincided with the : ® parade of furlough men, and the if streets were crowded, for this as well i ■ ji; as to welcome Mrs. Roosevelt. At the . station Mrs. Roosevelt was IMS' greeted by the Prime Minister and i? ® other distinguished New Zealanders, || f as well as high ranking Americans. Wellington had been warned of her i•' % arrival, and her drive to Govern- «; i ment House, where she will be a \.; : S guest during her Wellington stay, {•''.]§ was through applauding crowds. Mrs. [| Roosevelt answered this unofficial 'US welcome with her usual charm. !i I' After midday Mrs. Roosevelt had her jfi first public engagement at a Press ■/W conference.

A SPECIAL VISIT : TO SON'S BATTALION A special visit to the Marine Corps raider battalion which her eldest son, Lieutenant-Colonel James Roosevelt, commanded until he returned recently to America, was made by Mrs., Roosevelt on her journey to New Zealand. Men of the ,battalion were among those who successfully raided Makin Island last year. Mrs. Roosevelt travelled by jeep for part of the visit, and several times at the places she visited she stood in the "chow line". with the enlisted men and ate from a standard mess tray which she filled herself. She rose every day at 6.30,. and went to bed at 10, filling her time with visits to servicemen and talks to r American Red Cross representatives. She received armloads of garlands and native beads from natives who were aiding the Allied war effort.

;TO VISIT AUSTRALIA t MRS. ROOSEVELT'S TOUR x • : British Official Wireless Rec. 11 a.m. RUGBY, Aug. 27. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt is expected to visit Australia after her New Zealand tour. She will visit the capital cities of the Commonwealth.