TO VISIT DOMINION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 147, 23 June 1945, Page 6

TO VISIT DOMINION

PLANS OF MR. JORDAN

(Special P.A. Correspondent.)

LONDON, June 21. The High Commissioner, Mr. W. J. Jordan, has announced his intention of going to New Zealand in August. It will be the first time he 'has returned since he was appointed High Commissioner nine years ago. He expects to be absent from Britain for about six months.

During his visits to London, Mr. Fraser suggested to Mr. Jordan that from time to time he might visit New Zealand, but the High Commissioner preferred not to leave England until the "cease fire" sounded. Now he and Mrs. Jordan are looking forward to going to the Dominion. "We had intended to sail for New Zealand in July," said Mr. Jordan, "but the difficulties being experienced at New Zealand House in coping with shipping accommodation for travellers to the Dominion have become so great and the work of the staff so onerous that we decided to remain until the problem eased. We now hope to sail about August. WAITING TO RETURN. "Apart from intending immigrants, over 3000 bona fide New Zealand civilians are waiting to return home, while in addition there are about 1200 wives and dependants of New Zealand servicemen, and former prisoners of war." Mr. Jordan, who has now occupied his position longer than any other New Zealander—Mr. Pember Reeves was Agent-General from 1896 to 1905 and High Commissioner from 1905 to 1908 —has the reputation of being the most popular High Commissioner the Dominion has ever had. He is well liked by servicemen* with whom he has travelled thousands of miles to see. He is universally known as "Bill." He is also very well liked in London and all over the country.