HIGH REPUTATION

Evening Star, Issue 23723, 2 November 1940, Page 12

HIGH REPUTATION

NEW ZEALANDERS IN BRITAIN FRIENDSHIPS FORMED IN LAST WAR ;From the Official War Correspondent attached to the New Zealand Forces in Great Britain.) SOMEWHERE IN BRITAIN, October 4. In the course of the last war a detachment of Now Zealanders was stationed for awhile in a country town near which units of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force are now billeted. Their memory lingers, and their reputation lives after them —a reputation which makes a man proud to be their fellow countryman. A New Zealand Y.M.C.A. Club and canteen in the town was opened this week by Brigadier R. Miles. Its genesis was revealed by a member of the Ladies’ Committee of the local Y.M.C.A. “ When we heard that New Zealanders had come among us again,” she said, “ we were anxious to do all we could for their comfort. Because, you see, there were New Zealand soldiers here nearly 25 years ago, and we have never forgotten what fine men they were. Friendships were formed then which have endured ever since. We hope you may stay with us a long time, so we may have a chance to become as friendly with you as we did with the men who were here before.” The club offers, besides a canteen service, a reading and writing room liberally stocked with magazines and stationery, a billiard table, a bagatelle table, darts and a general recreation room which can be converted quickly into a hall holding from 150 to 200, and where concerts or picture shows can be given. The whole is situated in the basement of the town’s Congregational Church, of which the minister" is a former Y.M.C.A. secretary and a staunch friend of soldiers. Canteen help is organised by the Ladies’ Committee of the church. The opening on Sunday evening was marked by a free tea, and after church (during which the recreation rooms .below were open) a George Arliss picture was screened by the New Zealand Y.M.C.A.’s mobile cinema unit. The club is open from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. daily. Brigadier Miles, in his opening address, expressed gratitude to the church authorities for offering the free use of the premises, and to the Ladies’ Committee for undertaking responsibility for voluntary staffing. Thre had been undoubted need for a New Zealand meeting place'in the town, and it was appropriate that the initiative should have been taken by the New Zealand Y.M.0.A., which was doing very good work, not only centrally, but also in the camps and billeting areas of scattered individual units. He hoped the men would make full use of the facilities provided, and show their appreciation by maintaining a good standard of conduct.

JAPAN AND RUSSIA PACT VERY UNCERTAIN TOKIO, October 31. The ‘ Hochi Shimbun ’ warned against any complacent optimism regarding the, negotiations for a pact between Japan and the Soviet, asserting that the Soviet is pursuing an opportunist policy, standing between tbe totalitarian and the democracies, it said that it is well known that the Soviet is carrying on clandestine negotiations with England and the United States. HAJ PILGRIMAGE CONTINUATION DESPITE DIFFICULTIES (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 31. In spite of war-time difficulties, arrangements have been made to transport pilgrims from India to perform the Haj Pilgrimage, and the necessary shipping is being provided. The Government of India agreed to meet certain items of expenditure attributable to war conditions in order to keep the pilgrims’ fares close to the pre-war level. Sailings have been arranged from Bombay, Karachi, and Calcutta, and the pilgrim ships will be convoyed in the danger zone, and other steps will be taken to afford the pilgrims the fullest possible protection. NIGHTMARE VOYAGE VICTfMS OF NAZI RAIDER NASSAU, October 31. Robert George Tapscott, aged 19, of Cardiff, and Wclbert Roy Widdecombc, aged 24, of Newport, have flown to Nassau from Elcuthera, in the Bahamas. They are survivors of the Anglo-Saxon, which was sunk by a raider 500 miles south-west of the Azores on August 21. They sailed 2,500 miles in a 16ft boat. They caught rain water, but had no water for eight days. They ate seaweed, one flying fish, and one garfish in 55 days. A farmer at Eleuthera saw them crawling along the beach.

Seven men were originally in the boat, but two who were wounded when the raider machine-gunned the boats died. Two jumped overboard and one committed suicide in the boat.

If or economy’s sake drink RAVEN TEA C. (,'A KOI,IN, George and Duke streets, At Is 8d for half-pound packet.