LORD HARTINGTON

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 120, 17 November 1936, Page 10

LORD HARTINGTON

PERSONAL CONTACTS

MAIN OBJECT OF VISIT

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, November 16.

Regret that his visit to New Zealand has had to be of such short duration was expressed by the Marquess of Hartington, Parliamentary Under-Sec-retary of State for Dominion Affairs, who arrived at Auckland tonight at the conclusion of a brief tour of the North Island. "The main part of my official duties," Lord Hartington said, "is to assist in providing some! form of contact betWeen tKe Dominions and the British Government at Home. I feel that I shall be able to carry out those duties much better now that I have at least some little knowledge of your beautiful country and its people."

Lord Hartington said,he had appreciated greatly the opportunity of meeting the Prime Minister (the Kt. Hon. M. J. Savage) and other members of the Government. He had not attempted to discuss with them officially any Empire problems of moment, his principal desire being to meet members of the Government personally. Lord Hartington also declined to discuss recent trends of legislation in New Zealand, stating that the Dominion was fully competent to manage its own domestic affairs. One point of interest which Lord Hartington mentioned was the projected Empire air-mail service from London to New Zealand. He said no difficulty was anticipated in having the service in operation by the beginning of 1938. "We realise fully the importance of such a service," Lord Hartinglon added. "My wife and I travelled from Singapore to Australia by air and that gave us ample proof of the manner in which aii- travel can destroy isolation. I can quite appreciate that the proposed service from London will mean much to New Zealand."