TOASTED IN LONDON

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 39, 15 February 1941, Page 6

TOASTED IN LONDON

THE OVERSEAS LEAGUE

HIGH TRIBUTES

(From ,"The Post's" Representative.)

LONDON, December 4.

Lady Newall made her1 first "speech" to New; Zealanders at a luncheon at the Overseas League which she attended with .Sir Cyril Newall, Governor-General designate of New Zealand. ■ It lasted a minute. "Everyone has been telling ..me that I will have to learn, to make speeches now," she said to general • laughter. "We are looking forward very much to going to New Zealand," she added, "and when we come back again I hope we shall find a happier England than i we are leaving." . , v . - Sir Cyril also" replied to a toast proposed by the High Commissioner, Mr. W. J. Jordan, and seconded by the Egyptian Ambassador. "Having done some 25 years as a soldier and an airman .you will. not expect me to say much," said Sir Cyril. He added that he and Lady Newall had joined the Overseas" League in Egypt and had enjoyed being-members of it ever since.- .-■■■■ MAGNIFICENT MEN. : ' "We are humble beings. We have done our best and we have been very lucky," said Sir Cyril, thanking Mr. Jordan for a generous tribute to his record of service. Referring to the R.A.F. pilots he went on: "These lads, there is no'doubt about it, they are magnificent. There is no other word for it.' And lam sure that they will do whatever England expects of them. "I handed over to my successor, Sir Charles Portal, .with considerable regret—which, I think, was understandable—but there is no man to whom. I would rather have handed over and in whom I have greater confidence." Sir Cyril referred to "three happy years in Egypt" and added: "We seem to have had a great many 'plums.' ,We had the plum job in Egypt and now we have the plum job of the Empire— if I may say so with due respect to the other Dominions." He added that it was entirely due to the R.A.F. that he had been given the opportunity of going to New Zealand. 'Sir Cyril said that he was not sure when he and Lady Newall would leave for New Zealand. Before their departure he hoped to see New Zealand troops in England and to visit the New Zealand Bomber Squadron. OUR BOMBER SQUADRON. "I hope to take out certain pictures for the squadron to New Zealand and lo be able to convey them to friends and relations whom I hope- to meet, and to tell them about the men in England—how thin or fat they are, and how they are enjoying their life. • "We have been longing to ~o to New Zealand all ' our lives, and suddenly this honour has been showered upon us," he continued. "We are looking r forward to going to a wonderful coun-1 try and to meeting a most noble | people." , I Mr. Jordan said that the Governor- ■ General designate of New Zealand was j a man who would live in history., I "The force with'which he "is connected | has no tradition ■.but it is ■ certainly j making one," said Mr. Jordan. ' The R.A.F. had been built up to a great j force, m comparatively few years, and ! it was indeed an honour to be able to meet the man who had been at the head of it. Mr. Jordan said that while there was a tendency to regard great figures of history as super men, a man who could lead a force in these times was every j bit the equal to any of the great figure ' of the past. v j THE YEARS IN EGYPT. Recalling that Sir Cyril and Lady Newall had lived in Egypt for three years from 1931 to 1934^ the Egyptian Ambassador said that,they had gaiifed the esteem and high consideration of all those with whom they had. come into contact. Sir Cyril Newall, he added, had the reputation of making j a great success of any job he had I undertaken. New Zealanders—protectors of Egypt in the last war and this war—could congratulate themselves on the appointment. They ; could rest assured that both Sir Cyril and Lady Newall would render their country a great service. ■ ..- i Brigadier J. Hargest, who was present with a number of . New Zealand officers, declared that Sir Cyril and j Lady Newall would be greeted in New Zealand with open arms, and he forecast that they would "get on extremely well." They would find that the people of New Zealand were extremely hospitable and that they liked straight talking. They would also find the Maoris, to be an extremely gracious and intelligent people. "I often think of -the Maoris," said Brigadier Hargest, "as; being the last home of the genuine aristocracy. lam sure Sir Cyril will be extremely proud of them." ABOUT SPEECH-MAKING. One of the capacities: required of a new Governor-General was the ability to make long speeches at all times, Brigadier Hargest continued amid laughter, and he suggested that Sir Cyril "should get busy and work up the art of long speeches." Lady Newall, he suggested, might encourage her capacity for drinking tea! "I am, certain. that the people of New Zealand will take Sir Cyril and Lady Newall to their hearts, and that they will find there a great deal to recompense them for^ the sacrifice they are undoubtedly making by leaving 'England at this time on behalf of the Empire."