Office routine not for Hillary

Press, 22 July 1989, Page 8

Office routine not for Hillary

PA Auckland Sir Edmund Hillary has just enjoyed what he terms the most “normal” years of his life. He returned on Wednesday from his post in India as New Zealand High Commissioner. This evening he will put to use some of the entertaining skills gained while in India and celebrate his seventieth birthday. The first conqueror of Mount Everest, said it was not until he was 65 that he experienced a “regular” office job. Now, he vows, office routine will definitely be put behind him. “I’m not retiring,” Sir Edmund said. “Things will still be all go. I’ll probably spend only six or seven months a year in New Zealand.”

He thinks that, In spite of his lack of diplomatic training, he slotted in perfectly to the position because he was familiar with India and its people.' u l didn’t feel like a ‘dlnky-dl’ diplomat when I was in India. There were about 130 other diplomatic missions in New Delhi, most of them with career diplomats, so. at times It was a bit unusual. “The New Zealand cricket team probably did as much for New Zealand relations with India as I did,” he said. “We had the team, of about 23 people, in one evening, and I thought about 150 cans of beer would be quite enough for them. “But within about half an hour we had inquiries for more beer, because it had all run out. So, I found out about some New Zealanders* beerdrinking capacity.”