VISIT OF BRITISH MINISTER

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28371, 2 September 1957, Page 10

VISIT OF BRITISH MINISTER

Mr Duncan Sandys At Methven Renewing his acquaintance with his ancestral home, the British Minister of Defence (Mr Duncan Sandys) spent a leisurely weekend at the “Springfield” homestead near Methveh as the guest of Mr and . Mrs A. W. Taylor. “Springfield” which once was a property of more than 21,000 acres, was developed by Mr Duncan Cameron, grandfather of Mr Sandys. Apart from several sub-divisions down the years, the homestead block, now owned by Mr Taylor, remains substantially as it was set up by Mr Cameron. On Saturday evening Mr and Mrs Taylor had as guests to dinner with Mr Sandys, the Minister of Marine and Social Security (Mr R. G. Gerard, member of Parliament for Ashburton) and Mrs Gerard; also Mr and Mrs R. D. Robinson (Ashburton). Yesterday afternoon Mr Sandys met the chairman of the Ashburton County Council (Mr E. T. Grigg), Mr J. Davidson of Maronan who was chairman of the Ashburton County Council during the visit of Mr Sandys to Ashburton and Methven in 1953. and Mr E. C. Bathurst, who was Mayor of Ashburton at that time.

Later in the afternoon, he visited the Methven cemetery and placed a spray of flowers picked from v the garden of “Springfield” on the grave of his grandfather. He also made a dall on Mrs H. L. Mangin, of Meth ven, a former associate of his mother and there met some old identities to whom he was first introduced on his former visit to Methven four years ago. A visit was also made to St. John’s Presbyterian church, which which the Cameron family was associated foi; many years. Guests at “Springfield” for dinner to meet Mr Sandys last evening were the Mayor and Mayoress of Ashburton (Mr and Mrs A. A. McDonald) and Mr and Mrs R. L. Lindsay (Ashburton). Mr Sandys will visit Lyndhurst and Rakaia Gorge today and will join the steamer express at Lyttelton this evening for Wellington.