English Woman Enjoys Second Visit To N.Z.

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28540, 20 March 1958, Page 2

English Woman Enjoys Second Visit To N.Z.

A charming, grey-haired "English woman who has travelled extensively throughout the world believes that New Zealand is the most wonderful country she has visited. She is Mrs Winfred Twiss of Norfolk, England, whose bright and friendly personality make an immediate impression on all those who meet her. Mrs Twiss first visited New Zealand some four years ago and she was so impressed with the country that when she returned to England she gave talks on it to a number of organisations and showed coloured slides she had taken here.

“I made so many friends in New Zealand the last time I was here that I had to come out and see them all again,” said Mrs Twiss, who arrived in Auckland by ship on January 23. She thinks that the Maoris are a handsome, dignified race and she has taken a great interest in them. Beauty of Gardens

The great beauty of gardens with their great wealth of flowers has most impressed her about Christchurch. She recently visited the Mount Macdonald station at Hawarden where she was taken into the back country in a utility vehicle. "I am amazed at the wonderful hospitality and friendliness I have met with everywhere I have gone in New Zealand and even from people who are complete strangers. The only criticism 1 have to make of the country is about the awful railway crossings—they almost frighten me to death,” she said. Mrs Twiss’ uncle, the Hon. Edmund Parker, lived in Canterbury in the 1880’s when he was associated with Dalgety and . Company, Ltd. His home was called Rannerdale and he kept a number of polo ponies. "‘I first heard of New Zealand from him when 1 was a small child; but in those days children were not encouraged to ask questions,” she said. Mrs Twiss lives in a 450-year-old Friary which has a magnificent garden, where she entertains the blind, aged and orphans After making a "decision out of the blue,” Mrs Twiss made a 1000mile journey up the Amazon river in a 7500-ton ship in which, she travelled from England. She visited the town of Manaos, once a thriving city and centre of a prosperous rubber industry, until the wild Brazilian rubber trees were cultivated itf other parts of the world. For many years the

inhabitants of the town lived in poverty but recently their conditions have begun to improve with the establishment of such things as a jute factory. Large Area Drained

The Amazon drained an area of nearly 3,000,000 square miles. Mrs Twiss said. Its headwaters were in the Andes and the water flowed nearly 4000 miles to the Atlantic Ocean. The first time the ship stopped on the journey up the Amazon, Mrs Twis was surprised that it was tied fore and aft to palm trees. At some stages in the journey the river became so narrow that an apple could be thrown from the ship on to either bank. There was a solid wall of green jungle right down to the water’s edge. The jungle at most time was strangely quiet but contained thousands of Insects, snakes and vividly-coloured butterflies. Mrs Twiss saw the small local fish which could eat the flesh from a man’s bones in a matter of seconds if be fell into the tvater. They were attracted in thousands at the slightest smell of blood Another species of fish had a Portuguese name meaning “the fish that sees too much.” It has two pair of eyes, one above the water and one below. Mrs Twiss, who will sail for England on April 12, is the guest of Mrs R. A. Winn, of Thornycroft street.