Plenty Of Surprises

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30883, 16 October 1965, Page 2

Plenty Of Surprises

Haast has plenty of surprises when you set out to meet the women. Mrs Leni Schneider, a teacher from Switzerland who has been working as a clerk in the Ministry of Works Office, and Mrs Phillippa Carr, the district nurse from England, are two of them.

Leni Schneider speaks five languages, studied at the University of Zurich, the Alliance Francais in Paris and iu England. She is now teaching French to a woman in Haast and keeping up with her own reading.

“My husband, Paul, came to New Zealand in 1957, liked it and returned to Switzerland to marry me and bring me back,” she said. “We lived in Wellington for the first two years, where I was teaching

German and French privately.” But they wanted a taste of the outbacks and set off for Haast, where Mr Schneider is employed as a fitter by the Ministry of Works, though he is a qualified marine engineer.

“We came to Haast because it seemed the farthest place away from cities and crowds,” she said. “After the road opens we shall travel round the North Island before we decide where to live.”

The girl who knows the life in capital cities of Europe has never felt lonely in Haast. “I have always had far too much to do with my time to even think about being cutoff during the 18 months we have been here.” She added: “We have enjoyed it." Films are shown in the Haast community hall on Saturday and Monday evenings. Patrons are allowed to smoke during the screening but the programmes are not always to the taste of residents with overseas standards in entertainment.

“We have missed the cultural side of living here—the theatre, concerts and art exhibitions,” Leni Schneider said.

Busy “Retirement”

Mrs Carr feels much the same way.

“Life is different here and I like it but I don’t want to stay here for ever. When the road is opened I would like to go to a town—or nearer one—where there are theatres and concerts.”

But two years ait Haasthave had their full compensations. A few months after her arrival as district nurse she met and married Mr Robert Carr, an overseer of works, and they now have a baby. •I'm supposed to be retired,” she laughed as the telephone rang. Someone had measles.

Until she is replaced, or until her husband leaves the district, she is carrying on coping with accidents, emergencies, ante-natal care and children’s complaints, her home and her family.

The doctor from Whataroa visits Haast once a month. “On the whole, the people are a very healthy lot and I manage,” said Philippa Carr.