HIGH COMMISSIONER

Grey River Argus, 14 March 1939, Page 7

HIGH COMMISSIONER

FOR BRITAIN Reception to Sir H. Batterbee I Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, March 13. I The importance of personal contact between Great Britain and other partners in the British Commonwealth of Nations was the keynote of the speeches made at the civic reception tendered to-day to the newly-appoint-ed High Commissioner for Britain In New Zealand, Sir Harry Batterbee and Lady Batterbee. There was a large and representative attendance of citizens. The Mayor, Mr T. C. A. Hislop, who presided, recalled earlier visits which Sir Harry had paid to New Zealand, and said the knowledge he had gained then, as well as his other outstanding qualities, peculiarly fitted him for the office he had been called upon to fill. His presence in New Zealand would ensure personal contact between this country and Britain, and he (Mr Hislop) was certain that such contact would be of inestimatable value to us. The Minister of Education, Hon. P Fraser, said that the Government was very pleased to be able to welcome to New Zealand a direct representative of His Majesty’s Government in Great Britain. The desirability of extending the link in imperial communications had become very apparent to the New Zealand Government, and it was impossible to overstress the advantages of personal contact with a representative of the British Government in regard to important, intricate and delicate matters which came up for consideration almost daily. After referring to the almost hourly communications which came from Britain during the September crisis, last year, Mr Fraser added that it would be an added advantage to have someone who understood the various problems, and could interpret more correctly and more intimately the communications which came to hand. That was the important function that Sir Harry Batterbee had been called upon to discharge in New Zealand. He hoped that Sir Harry and Lady Batterbee would have a very pleasant time in New Zealand, and he also looked forward to benefiting very greatly from the extensive knowledge which Sir Harry possessed. Sir H. Batterbee thanked the Mayor and Mr Fraser for their welcome, and stated that, before his departure, he had been graciously received by Their Majesties, both of whom recalled memories of their visit to New Zealand. As the Mayor and Mr Fraser had pointed out, he said, the purpbse of his appointment was to be an additional link between the United Kingdom and New Zealand for the purpose of supplementing the information which came through the official channels, and to establish personal contacts between the two Governments. In a word, his mission was to be an interpreter of the mind of one Government to the other. That should not be a difficult task, seeing that they were so close together in outlook and ideals. Dispatches and tele-1 grams could never take the place of personal discussions. It was only by personal discussions and the thrashing of things out that, agreement could bo reached.