PUBLIC SCHOOLBOYS' TOUR

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 22, 28 January 1929, Page 10

PUBLIC SCHOOLBOYS' TOUR

VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND

Mr. Francis Portal, advance agent to hto fortlicoming "Tour to New Zealand" of a number 'of English public school boys, is in Wellington arranging for tho party's stay-in this city. Ho has already visited Auckland, Now Plymouth, and Palmerston North, and will leave shortly for the South. To a "Post" reporter to-day, Mr. Portal explained that the purpose of the tour is to allow those participating to gain a first-hand knowledge of distant parts of tho Empire. Already tlioro have been two tours, ono to Canada and one to South Africa, and each has been an unqualified success. Tho New Zealand tour, however, is tho most ambitious enterprise which the Public Schools Umpire Tour Committee has yet undertaken. "AVo in England believe that harmony throughout the world depends on the British Empire, and that harmony throughout the British Empire depends on the countries and their peoples getting to know and understand one another," said Mr. Portal. "Wo hope to set au example in bringing this about by sending out representatives of our own coming generation to learn for themselves, and we hope it will be an oxamplo that will bu followed by others." In tiino to come, it was anticipatod that each of the countries in the British Empire would send its representatives on similar tours to bring about a mutual understanding which would be beneficial to the Empire as a whole. Tho response made by the various organisations in tho centres visited in the North Island had been most gratifying, said Mr. Portal. In regard to accommodation, he pointed out that after the other two tours, letters had been, received expressing regret .that tho writers had not been given an opportunity of entertaining the boys. In view of the obvious advantages to be dorived from an insight into the home life of {he Dominion, the committee hafl. decided that any invitations extonflod to the boys might be accepted. While in Wellington the party will bo given a civic reception by the Mayor, and on lflth February tho boys will bo ■the guests of His Excellency the (Governor-General at Government House.,