“Like Coming Home”

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30453, 29 May 1964, Page 1

“Like Coming Home”

With 28 years’ experience as a professional soldier, the Governor-General (Sir Bernard Fergusson) was in his element when he visited Burnham Military Camp yesterday morning. “Why, it’s just like he “

His Excellency was welcomed by the commander of the Southern Military District (Brigadier T. C. Campbell) and the camp commandant (Lieutenant-Colonel W. E. Johnstone). The Royal Salute was given by a quarter-guard from the battalion depot. The GovernorGeneral inspected the guard before he went to the officers’ mess for morning tea. After signing the visitors’ book and exchanging wartime experiences with groups of officers, his Excellency went to a nearby pine plantation where platoons were rehearsing a night attack. After listening to the attack drills he visited the camp model room, where a lecture in current affairs was taking place.

His Excellency said the area being dealt with—the Near and Middle East—was a very interesting one that he knew well. Although it might seem far away from a lecture room at Burnham the region was potentially a ticklish one where trouble could, and often did, break out at any time and where New Zealand could be involved.

From, the lecture room Sir Bernard Fergusson drove to the range opposite the main gates where bren gun drill and firing were being carried out by 165 national servicemen who have been training at Burnham for about a month. His Excellency told the servicemen that at no time during his 28 years’ service in the Army had he been tempted by any other profession. As the Governor-General at the end of his two-hour visit drove down the road from the camp, pupils of the Burnham School lined the roadside and clapped enthusiastically. Sir Bernard Fergusson stopped the car and had a brief chat with the children. Rannerdale Home

When he visited the Rannerdale Home for war veterans in the afternoon Sir Bernard Fergusson said he was “awfully impressed” with the

men under compulsory military training at Burnham. “There is thundering good material among the troops—they are good as you were or my contemporaries were in our different generations,” he said. “It is most encouraging and heartening. I talked to 50 or 60 of them. They all said they were enjoying being in the Army, and looked as if they were.” The Governor-General was met at the home by Mr P. H. Wood (chairman of the home committee), Mr P. J. Guyton (secretary-manager of the home), Mrs I. M. Birch (charge sister), and Mr A. R. Burge (national secretary of the New Zealand Patriotic Fund Board). He then inspected the home and chatted with the staff and residents Woodchester Home

Much of the conversation was of persons and places in Scotland when the GovernorGeneral chatted with the 37 women residents of Woodchester Eventide Home, run by the Presbyterian Church, in Banks avenue yesterday afternoon. He had words of cheer and comfort for everybody. “Did you get my telegram and the one from the Queen?” he asked Mrs S. H. Harris, who was 100 in February. Mrs Harris sat impassively, but shook Sir Bernard Fergusson’s hand. The Governor-General was met on his arrival by the chairman of the Presbyterian Social Service Association (the Rev. R. M. Rogers), the superintendent (the Rev. T. G. Campbell) and the matron (Sister D. Heron). Before meeting the elderly residents he chatted for a few moments with the executive staff.