SIR H. BATTERBEE

Grey River Argus, 11 March 1939, Page 9

SIR H. BATTERBEE

Britain Representative ARRIVAL AT AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, March 10. Tall, well-built, and of easy manner, Sir Harry Batterbee, the first High Commissioner representing the United Kingdom in New Zealand, made a pleasant impression on those who met him, on his arrival by the Rangitata, accompanied by his wife and niece. He recalled that he was here with the special service squadron on H.M.S. Hood, and as a member of the staff of the Duke and Duchess of York. He hoped to be able to renew the friendships he made on those

- visit. n “The relations between New Zean land and the Mother Country are so n good that my job ought to be easy,” he said, to an interviewer. “The job 3 of the High Commissioner is to ini, terpret the view of one Government / of those of the other. I want to meet . all classes of workers, and to know f the people.” r Sir Harry and Lady Batterbee, and i their niece, Miss Biggar, were met on s the Rangitata by Mr Berensden, per--3 manent head of the Prime Minister’s Department; Mr Boyd Shannon, Sir ; Harry’s secretary, who has been in . New Zealand for some weeks; and Captain Barnes, officer in charge of [ the Devonport naval base, who is hon- ■ orary aide to Sir Harry, in New Zea- . land. “Sea communications are the very - life-blood of the British Empire, and ; all who contribute to the improvement of those communications are . contributing to the advancement and progress of the Empire,” Said Sir Harry Batterbee, who replying to wel- , comes extended to him on behalf of the New Zealand Government and the Auckland Harbour Board, soon after > his arrival. The chairman of the Harbour i Board (Mr W. B. Darlow) said that to-day, more than ever, the need was felt of the closest and most-harmoni- . ous relations with the Motherland and , all other units of the Empire. Sir Harry’s appointment would assist and nourish that relationship, and it was felt that no more fitting person could have been sent. “We believe that your presence with us will not only add to the prestige of the Dominion, but also will be the means of giving to the New Zealand Government an avenue of approach to Britain, which has long been felt necessary,” said Mr W. T. Anderton, M.P., who spoke for the Government. The best way of negotiating was by heart-to-heart talks around the conference table. CIVIC RECEPTION, Sir H. Batterbee was later tendered a civic reception, in the Town Hall. At a widely representative civic reception in the Town Hall, a welcome to the city was extended by Mr A. S. Bailey, city councillor, in the absence from Auckland of the Mayor , (Sir E. Davis). Mr Anderton spoke on behalf of the Government, and Mr A. Ely (President of the Chamber of Commerce) for the commercial community. I

Sir H. Batterbee, replying, said that before he left England, he met the King and Queen, who spoke with vivid remembrance of various episodes of their visit to New Zealand as Duke and Duchess of York, in 1927, and recalled many happy memories of the occasion. Sir H. Batterbee said that he himself would never forget the scenes of loyalty and the enthusiasm which was shown on that occasion, throughout New Zealand.

EX-LORD MAYOR OF LONDON. ARRIVAL OF SIR H. TWYFORD. AUCKLAND, March 10. “I am here in fulfilment of a promise I made to myself 35 years ago," said Sir Harry Twyford, former Lord Mayor of London, who arrived by the Rangitata, to spend a three-weeks' holiday in New Zealand, leaving, for Sydney from Wellington on April 3. “That promise is to re-visit God’s own country—that is what old Mr Seddon used to call it.” He intends to do some snapper fishing, probably in the Marlborough Sounds. For three years until 1904, Sir Harry Twyford was an official of the Eastern Exchange Telegraph Company, stationed at Wakapuaka, near Nelson, where the cable formerly came ashore. He said that his appeals for funds for Czech refugees had resulted in the raising of £375,000, and for Chinese refugees £140,000 had been collected.