LADY WYN-HARRIS

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28414, 22 October 1957, Page 2

LADY WYN-HARRIS

Welcome By Victoria League Members of the Christchurch branch of the Victoria League met last evening to welcome back to Christcurch Lady Wyn-Harris. wife ot Sir Percy Wyn-Harris. Governor of Gambia. Lady WynHariis was Miss Mary Macdonald, daughter of Mr Ranald Macdonald, of Christchurch. In an address. Lady Wyn-Harris recounted many interesting experiences she has had in her 28 years in Africa with her husband. One of these experiences was a leopard hunt, when she was the only woman in life party. The hunters began by chanting most insulting remarks about the leopards mother, believing that this would draw the animal out to attack a member of the party, she said The leopard usually made a jump at one member of the party, in an attempt to dislocate his neck. This leopard jumped at Lady Wyn-Harris, who found herself on the ground with the struggling animal. One of the hunters’ spears was hurled at the leopard but missed and went into her leg. When the hunters were asked if the arrow was poisoned, they said it certainly was. but as the poison took a certain time to kill the victim they said “they would wait and see for certain.’* she said.

| Living in Africa gave the Euro- | pean person some idea of how | lovable, true-hearted, and dignified the African people were as a whole. Lady Wyn-Harris said. She and her husband counted among their best friends many chiefs whom they knew in Africa. ; A musical programme was [presented by Mr George O’GorIman and his Folk Song Singers, among whom were five Dutchmen who have come to settle in New Zealand. The 'artists were Messrs T. Eichholtz, T. V. Tersei. J. R. V. Tulder. J. Bremmers, G Meyer and E. Cornwall. Mr O'Gorman was the accompanist. The singers gave old English, Dutch. German and Italian folk songs, which were much appreciated by an audience of about 100.