GENERAL BIRDWOOD.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16851, 3 June 1920, Page 6

GENERAL BIRDWOOD.

, ARRIVAL IN KEW ZEALAND. ). (special to "the press.") f . WELLINGTON, June 2. _ General Sir William Birdwood ary rived from Sydney this afternoon with Lady Birchrood and their second daugh- ] er > u "ho is ten years old. His married u | daughter remained in Australia. The e j General, who is the guest of the Gos vcrnmont, took up his quarters at the I j Midland Hotel. He is looking remorkh \ lit, and is just the same bright, I | alert, and altogether delightful man r> | that tho New Zealanders knew in i-: -kg} pt, at Anzac, and on tho Western s front, during times of great stress. 1 j General Birdwood. seems to have had t a really wonderlul welcome in Australia - even in tiio more remote villages that he visited, and he iaughingly asserts ■ that he has just gone tnrougu a more > strenuous campaign in Australia than ! IJie went through on Galiipoli. He is i ; looking forward with keen interest to t i ills New Zealand tour, and to meetinc [ : many old comrades in arms. His active . ties m the immediate future have not yet been decided upon. He lias been ! ottered, tlie Northern India command, r but has not yet settled whether he will . accept it. Meantime all Australia i would welcomo him as Governor-Gen--3 that is a position that is only t likely to be aeceptcd by a much - V■eaithier man. One thin or is certain: that iu whatever sphere his lot is cast, 3 he will be able to do good work, for . lie retains all his old energy and quicks ness of brain. - ' General iiirdwood purposes returning ; to England in one of the New Zealand s boats, via Panama. Meantime he will havo a busy time in tho Dominion. To-morrow he is to bo photographed 1 with New Zealanders who fought in the war, the "Diggers"' having made a special icquest that he should submit | to this ordeal. Later he will Innrli with » tlie Governor-General, and in the even- ■ ing he is to bo accorded a public reception in the Town Hall. There, he will make a* brief speech. Ho is to be entertained by the Government at an official luncheon, also bv the New Zealand Club, and by the Savage Club. At each and all of theso functions he is assured of a very hearty reception. After a few days here, he will leave j for the South Inland, anrl will cro as far a« Invercargill and the Col-] Lakes. He also hopes to make th° trip acrrss the i-Oiithorn Alps to tJ*»e Woph Coast, and in the North Island he will, of Course, be token over tho thermal regior. In Hawke's he i=; to stny for a nr two with General Sir Andrew Russell. I