Quiet Farewell For Japanese P.M.

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31502, 17 October 1967, Page 1

Quiet Farewell For Japanese P.M.

A handful of people watched the Prime Minister of Japan (Mr Eisaku Sato) and his party leave Christchurch Airport yesterday morning for Wellington after a high-speed drive from the United Service Hotel where they had stayed overnight.

The entourage • comprised 12 Government cars and police and traffic inspectors’ cars. They travelled at up to 70 miles an hour to the airport, with inspectors controlling intersections and clearing the way. At the hotel, the Mayor (Sir George Manning) and

Lady Manning said good-hye to Mr and Mrs Sato, and they exchanged gifts. Only a few people watched the visitors leave. Before boarding a Royal New Zealand Air Force DC6 aircraft for the flight to Wellington, Mr and Mrs Sato thanked the Government drivers, police and other officials, and spoke briefly to the Honorary Consul for Japan at Christchurch (Mr J. S. Pallet) and Mrs Pallot, who is a Japanese. Mr Pallot said afterwards that Mr Sato had particularly referred to Miss Yaseo Oyama, a student at the Christchurch Teachers’ College, who had been entertained by Mr and Mrs Sato on Sunday • ight Miss Oyama is a granddaughter of a friend of Mr Sato. Official farewells were made by the airport manager (Mr A. I. R. Jamieson), who said that Mr Sato had commented: “A very happy time.”