MR. JORDAN HOME

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 238, 8 October 1945, Page 6

MR. JORDAN HOME

SERVICE IN LONDON WARM WELCOME AT AIRPORT Looking scarcely a day older after serving as New Zealand High Commissioner in London during the past nine years, Mr. W. J. Jordan, accompanied by Mrs. Jordan, landed at Whenuapai air station at eight o'clock this morning after a flight in a military plane from Honolulu, via Canton Island and Fiji. Despite his strenuous and devoted work during the war years and his unnerving experiences throughout the London blitz, Mr. Jordan appears to his friends just the same "old Bill"—kind, generous and gracious to all—a practical Good Samaritan, who has as lifelong admirers thousands of New Zealand soldiers, sailors and airmen who went overseas.'

Leaving London on August 4, Mr. and Mrs. Jordan intended travelling by surface routes to the Dominion. They were three weeks in New York, where they celebrated VJ day, and continued to Honolulu in the Port Elma. When they found that the ship had been diverted to the Philippines, and that it would be another six weeks before they reached New Zealand, they accepted an opportunity to fly the remainder of the journey.

While in Honolulu they were welcomed by Admiral Trefhnder, commander at Pearl Harbour, General Richardson, commander of the military forces on Hawaii, Dr. Peter Buck, the famous New Zealand anthropologist, and Mr. Tennent, the New Zealand representative.

A highlight of their Honolulu visit was the wedding last Tuesday, at which they were honoured guests, of Miss Molly Claridge, of Auckland, and an American naval officer, Harris Cox. Admiral William P. Halsey, who was commander of the U.S. Third Pacific Fleet, gave away the bride. Welcomed at Whenuapai In Fiji during thvi week-end they visited the hospital at Suva where eight New Zealand nursing sisters are serving.

On arrival at Whenuapai this morning Mr. and Mrs. Jordan were officially welcomed by a party which included Mr. A. Osborne, M.P., Parliamentary Under-Secre-tary, the Mayor, Mr. Allum, Air Vice-Marshal L. M. Isitt, Chief of the Air Staff, Brigadier A. B. Williams, officer commanding the northern military district, Mr. A. Garside, Mayor of Onehunga, Mr. I. J. Goldstine, Mayor of One Tree Hill, Mr. J. W. A. Stead, secretary of the Auckland Labour Representation Committee, and Mr. P. McLennan, secretary of the Onehunga L.R.C.

Throughout the morning and early afternoon, Mr. Jordan was inundated with phonj calls from his host of Auckland friends. This afternoon he will visit the Savage Memorial and place a wreath on Mr. Savage's grave. On Thursday evening the citizens of Auckland will have the opportunity of welcoming him home at a civic reception at the Town Hall, and on Saturday afternoon there will be a civic reception at Jellicoe Park, Onehunga, the centre of Mr. Jordan's former constituency of Manukau.

Mr. and Mrs. Jordan will go to Wellington next week. They propose to spend two or three mon*is in the Dominion before returning to London.

Mr. Jordan was recently reappointed High Commissioner in London for a further term of three years.