Bride From Vienna

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31564, 29 December 1967, Page 2

Bride From Vienna

After a seven-year-long courtship. Lieutenant Michael Pate, R.N.Z.N. got married in April this year only to be parted from his Viennese bride, Monika, the next day by navy orders. The couple met again only a fortnight ago in Auckland. Monika spent her first Christmas in New Zealand with her new in-laws, Mr and Mrs E. R Pate, of Christchurch Today the couple will set off on their “official” honeymoon. Met Ski ing Ski-ing brought the two together. In 1960. Lieutenant Pate attended a training course at Dartmouth and spent a holiday in the snows of the Austrian Alps where he met Monika. During his course he returned to Vienna several times. Over the years he attended various courses in the United Kingdom, always including visits to Vienna. It seemed that getting married was “just too terribly complicated” but he was determined to do so anyway. He gave Monika a

week's notice and sent his l sister, Judith, who bad hitchI hiked to London, her fare to Austria and instructions to “be at the wedding.” The course of true love has

not run very smoothly for the Pates. After her husband was sent to the East, Mrs Pate, taking him at his word that she should stock up on fashions from Vienna, assembled her trousseau. Planning to spend three weeks in London before flying to New Zealand, she sent her luggage, including wedding presents, on by rail to London and that is the last she saw of it. The friendliness of everyone

she has met here has helped Mrs Pate feel at home. Her first contact with the "New Zealand working man” came when she first arrived in Auckland. An electrician who had sailed the world in a small craft immediately recognised her Viennese accent. The butcher turned out to be “just like a grandfather," and shopping was made much easier by assistance offered on all sides.

Like most Continentals Mrs Pate does not like the smell or taste of mutton. However, her husband says he likes her cooking and seems content for her to continue cooking Viennese dishes.