N.Z. AIRMEN

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 149, 26 June 1944, Page 3

N.Z. AIRMEN

POPULAR IN CANADA

HON. D.WILSON'S TOUR

During the six weeks he was in Canada before he returned to New Zealand the Hon. D. Wilson, New Zealand High Commissioner to Canada, met a number of Canadian girls who have married New Zealand airmen. One afternoon at Winnipeg he entertained the members of a club comprising the wives of New Zealand airmen, the club having been formed at the suggestion of New Zealand's Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones).

Over 50 were present, said Mr. Wilson in an interview at Parliament House today, and they included about 20 who had come from other parts and were going to New Zealand. At. Calgary he met 15 more New Zealand airmen's wives. All told, there wer.e about 180 Canadian wives of New Zealanders, and most of their husbands were engaged in the air assaults on Europe.

Mr. Wilson returned to New Zealand recently because of the illness of his wife in Wellington. He said today that Mrs. Wilson was making some progress and he hoped that circumstances would permit of his return to Canada, because he was very keen to go back. VISIT TO AIR SCHOOLS. One of the first things Mr. Wilson did after presenting his credentials in Ottawa was to make a tour across Canada from Ottawa to Victoria in British Columbia and back again, visiting all the air training centres where there were New Zealanders. "The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan," said Mr. Wilson, "has been so successful and the casualties in Europe having been less than expected they are now slowing down the training a bit—the duration of the courses is being extended because they have a pool in reserve. I saw at least 1000 New Zealanders at the training centres and spoke to them individually as well as collectively, and I would like the people, of New Zealand, particularly the parents, to accept my word for it that these boys are being particularly well looked after. Everywhere I went I was told by Service welfare personnel that the difficulty in regard to New Zealanders was not to find people to extend hospitality to them,, but to find sufficient New Zealanders to meet all the invitations. There is no doubt about it, the New Zealand boys are- particularly well liked and are spoken of very highly indeed."

Mr. Wilson said that in Canada there was a considerable lack of knowledge of New Zealand's war effort. He had given a considerable number of addresses, including one from the pulpit of a Vancouver church, the minister of the church having offered him the pulpit to speak on New Zealand's social security legislation. The question of social security was a very burning one with all political parties in Canada.

Mr. Wilson met Mr. Mackenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada, two days before he was due to leave for the Empire Prime Ministers' Conference in London. "I found him a most charming man," said Mr. Wilson. "An interview of 15 minutes was arranged, but the interview lasted for over one and a half hours, because Mr. Mackenzie King was so interested in New Zealand. I found him extremely well disposed towards this country." Mr. Wilson said he had been impressed with the Canadian war effort. A splendid,job had been done, particularly in the building of ships and the production of munitions.