SIR JAMES PARR

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 52, 2 March 1934, Page 9

SIR JAMES PARR

ARRIVAL IN LONDON

RECEPTION AT STATION

PtEFEIIENCES TO TKADE

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, January 25. During the whole of the voyage from New Zealand the Raugitane journeyed over a calm sea and under a sunlit sky. It. was only when the ship arrived in the Thames last night that Sir James Parr and his fellow-passengers realised they had come to a country plunged in the depth of winter, and almost blotted out by fog. The High Commissioner was duo at Liverpool Station this morning at 10.30 o'clock, but the boat train was delayed for half an hour. About a hundred New Zealanders and other friends and officials assembled to welcome him. Among theso were: Admiral Bronily (■representing the Secretary of " State for Dominion Affairs), Colonel George Vanier (representing the High Commissioner for Canada), Sir Thomas Wilford, Wing-Commander Louis Greig, Lieutenant-Colonel C. P. Oswald (representing the Imperial War Graves Commission'), Mr. Leslie Lefeaux, Captain T. K. Donne, Mr. E. S. Forsyth, Mr. ,H. E. Davis, Mr. Carren Scrimgcour, Major E. S. Harston, Dr. J. Macnaughtau Christie, Mr. Alex. Nathan, Dr. Bernard. Myers, Mr. F. W. Doidgc, Dr. A. J. Harrop, Mr. Hal Williams, Mr. S. Jacobs, Mr. W. H. Castle, Mr. C. B. Ching, Mr. G. L. Agar, Mr. H. E. Young, Mr. E. English, Mr. C. J. Wmy, Mr. Theo. Godlee, Mr. L. B. L. Donne, Mr. F. Deverell, Mr. J. B. Wright, Captain H. J. F. Mills, and Mr. D. F. Eeid. ■ Mr. F. T. Sandford (Secretary to the High Commissioner's Department) travelled from the Docks with Sir J^mes Parr, and, all the heads of Departments of the High Commissioner's staff and some other members of the staff , were present at the station " to greet Sir James Parr. Colonel Eric Murray. (Secretary of the British Empire League) also welcomed Sir James 'Parr at the Docks. Sir James was first greeted on the station platform by Sir Thomas Wilford, and after photographs had been baleen the whole company filed past to shake hands with Sir' James and to welcome him back, to London. A few minutes later ho was on his way to New Zealand. House, where. representatives of the Lqndon and Provincial Press were to bo received. TALK WITH PRESSMEN. . , Addressing the Press representatives, the High Commissioner gave a brief outline of his career. .Ho would like his-previous term as High Commissioner to be remembered,' he said, for his publicity campaigns, especially in the Midlands, urging closer Empire trade, and particularly the purchase of New Zealand produce in this country. "I ctinjio bac^ with pleasure to my old post in London," continued Sir James. "I shall meet many old friends. The British Government and tho Dominions Department, when they learned of my appointment last month, wero kind enough to cable to our GovernorGeneral (Lord Bledisloe) that they welcomed me back and hoped for a 'resumption of the same happy and cordial relations, that had existed during my previous term in. London;' "When I left New Zealand a month ago we wero in the middle of glorious summer, sunshine. The whole counfry ■was green and pleasant with,its English grasses. I wonder why more English tourists do not come to see us at this time when your winter is rather appalling. We can give you unequalled sport and scenery. I am going to make a big effort to get more British tourists. .'. ■■.. > : ■ . ". . SHADOW OF THE QUOTA. "Of course, we depend on our farmers and the export of their produce. You are our market. The .'.wonderful revival in wool prices has caused the New Zealand sheep farmer to smile again. But our principal industry, which is dairy produce for export to England, is depressed. The dairy farmer is still in a bad way. And over our whole land is tho shadow of the threatened quota or restriction of New Zealand's export of dairy produce. No other Dominion will bo hit by a quota so severely as New Zealand. The world slump hit New Zealand tho last of the Dominions, but we are setting our house in order and cutting down our expenditure. Bates of internal interest have been forced down... Costs are everywhere ■ reduced.; Our Government has never failed to pay twenty shillings in the pound to its English bondholders, who have as .their security in New Zealand the most fertile' and productive perhaps of all.ttie Empire countries. • COMING -ROYAJi VISIT." "New Zealand has always shown a warm personal affection jmd regard for the British people. And that feeling exists today as strongly as it ever did. Prince George-will receive the warmest of welcomes. These Boyal visits do good. We have nothing but admiration, too, for. the heroic struggle of, tho Mother Land against th© economic blizzard. Your patience and courage under the, heaviest burdens, your steadfastness in the-'face of an almost daily changing and unstable world, your resource when confronted with the gravest monetary _ problems, these are the things which inspire us with confidence in. tho Motherland and in her ability to lead the Empire along the path of reconstruction to prosperity for us all. We look to' you with high hope. New Zcalanders are proud to be of you and of the Empire." . REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Sir James was questioned on a few points. In regard to the quota he would add no more than the remarks he had already made. In regard to migration ho said there was no hope for a resumption at present. New Zealand, he said, had its employment problem. He then described what the Government was doing on behalf of tho unemployed, and made special reference to the camps, which hud.come in for adverse criticism from Socialist journals in this country. Questioned regarding tho Japanese trade competition, Sir James said it was rery serious in New Zealand. Goods were pouring in from Japan at prices which defied competition in spite of the tariffs. Undoubtedly, Japanese competition was a menace to New Zealand business and to British trade with the Dominion. The New Zealand Government was in touch with the Home Government on tho subject. The.High Commissioner's trip over was pleasant and uneventful. The only mild excitement so far as Sir James was concerned was his winning of the quoits championship. '