AT HOME IN SYDNEY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 72, 26 March 1931, Page 17

AT HOME IN SYDNEY

NEW ZEALAND "COLONY"

Interesting details of her pleasant experiences in Sydney were related by Mrs. i\ M. Campbell, u-lio recently returned from a lengpiy lioliilay in .the New South Wales capital, at a meeting of tin: Executive Committee uf the Wellington Provincial. New Zcalaiidors' Association. These particularly concerned her association with many New Zcalauders, a large proportion of whom arc occupying responsible positions in the business and literary world. Mrs. Campbell said that while the New Zoalanders' Association was not :is active at present as it liad been_ in the past, the ladies were displaying much energy and enthusiasm in keeping green the memories of the place of their birth. She had attended several functions in which New Zcalanders took a very prominent part, and noted with great pleasure the hospitality extended to visitors from British countries, while to those who came from New Zealand they extended tho moat cordial welcomes, and made them feel that they were really and truly among friends. While she- was in Sydney there wore several important State and civic functions, and at every one of these New Zcalanders were prominent. At one representative and very successful gathering to which invitations were extended to the visitors from the Dominion, a special portion had been set aside for them, and they were thus enabled to meet many hundreds of compatriots who extended to them a welcome as cordial as it was sincere. In a. few weeks, thanks to tho efforts of these ladies, the speaker and her friends felt as though they were "at home in Wellington," for there- wcro friends .'wherever they went, and no pains were spared to make their stay there as enjoyable as possible. At one social gathering all the Now Zealanders present wore distinctive ribbons, and were thus enabled to meet, exchange views, and give each other details of their experiences in Australia and New Zealand respectively. Tho New Zealanders' "colony" in Sydney, said Mrs. Campbell, was one of considerable numbers, and she was astonished at their enthusiasm and progressiveness. Though her stay in Australia had beon most pleasant, "there was no placo like home," and the conditions here, while serious, were as nothing compared with the state of Sydney and Now South Wales. At the call of the president (Mr. J. A. Shand), a welcome homo was extendod to Mrs. Campbell, who was also warmly thanked for.her interesting and instructive address.