PREMIER VISITING WOUNDED

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 199, 20 May 1941, Page 8

PREMIER VISITING WOUNDED

Mr. Fraser In Egypt BUSY PROGRAMME OF CALLS

(N.Z.E.F. Official News Service.)

CAIRO, May 19

Making it his first concern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr. Fraser, has been very busny engaged since his arrival in Egypt visiting patients in New Zealand hospitals and in speaking to them.

Many of those he saw were wounded in Greece, and for these lx? had a special word. His programme at the hospitals of the New Zealand Expedition-

ary Force lias been a strenuous one, but this has not altered Iris intention of seeing and speaking to as many as possible who are ill or wounded. During an interval at one hospital the Prime Minister said be wished to take the opportunity to thank the medical and nursing staffs of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force for the very fine work they were doing for the New Zealand troops in the Middle East. They were providing a very leal and tangible link with home. Mr. Fraser has been a very welcome sight to the men of the New Zealand Forces, who have been quick to react to the presence of their visitor. Some were able to tell him of men that the Prime Minister knew, and others were able to give him messages to pass ou to the people at home. Premiers Exchange Calls. The Prime Minister also called on the Premier of Egypt, Hussein Sirry Pasha, who in return called on Mr. Fraser at the British Embassy in the evening.

Cordial messages of goodwill were exchanged with the New Zealand Forces Club in Cairo, which has been open for some time now, and last evening the Prime Minister saw for himself the very fine facilities that have been made available to the soldiers while they are on leave in the city. He had dinner at the club, and was struck by the enthusiastic way in which the boys were enjoying themselves during the time he was there. For their part they gave the Prime Minister a really rousing welcome, and wherever he went during an inspection of the premises he was met by smiling faces. The new accommodation which has just been added to the club was seen by Mr. Fraser, who expressed delight at the amenities provided through Hie National Patriotic Fund.

A further call is being made on patients in hospitals today by Mr. Fraser, who spent this morning at a large New Zealand camp seeing the troops who returned to this country from the campaign in Greece. He lunched at the camp, and this afternoon he is to call at the Kiwi Club, which was established some months ago largely through the energetic leadership of Lady Lampson, wife ot the British Ambassador to Cairo, Sir Miles Lampson. ■

The principal object of the club Is to provide recreational facilities for soldiers who are convalescing in hospital. It has succeeded admirably and is a firm favourite with the men who are stationed in the vicinity and a notable example of the fine work that is being done by voluntary helpers for New Zealand troops everywhere. HIGH MORALE FOUND BY PREMIER New Zealanders’ “Tails Up” LONDON, May 19. Speaking in Cairo, Mr. Fraser, Prime Minister of New Zealand, said that the New Zealand troops had come back from Greece with their tails up. They were thoroughly convinced that they could wipe out the Germans anywhere if the odds were more or less equal.