FRIEND OF NEW ZEALANDERS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 48, 25 January 1939, Page 13

FRIEND OF NEW ZEALANDERS

DEATH OF MRS C. G. CANNING

Ex-service men, particularly Australians and New Zealanders (for they were her especial interest) will grieve to hear that Mrs Clare Gordon Canning died at her home at Sandwich Bay last week, says an English correspondent, writing on December 15. Her life had been one long struggle against ill-health so bravely borne that her death was totally unexpected and she was actively engaged in her many philanthropic activities until a few weeks from the end. Besides giving wonderful hospitality to those invalided or on leave Mrs Canning devoted ceaseless care to the sick and wounded, and through her generositymany men from overseas who were badly maimed were given the latest appliances to enable them to take some place in the world again. The blinded and the paralysed were her particular charge, and she had never ceased to visit victims of the Great War still living in various homes today. Of special interest to her, too, were miners from the distressed areas in AVales, many of whom she brought to Kent to find work in the mines there. Keen also on Empire settlement, she helped many migrants, from whom I have seen grateful letters, to make good in Australia and New Zealand. In her brilliant girlhood—she was a Crawshny Bailey of Maindiff Court, Abergavenny—she was a fearless and notable rider to hounds, and only illhealth made her give up an active interest in hunting. Her sister. Lady Curre, M.F.H., keeps on the famous White AVelsh pack, with which so many officers and men of the A.I.F. had their first experience of hunting in England. Intellectual and quick-witted, Mrs Canning had an interesting circle of friends. Her sister, Lady Curre, and her son, Captain R. Gordon Canning, M.C. (late 10th Hussars), were with her during her last days, and when she was laid at rest in the churchyard at AVord Village, hard by the Home Farm she had brought to perfection there were people Irorn distant parts of England among the very large attendance. Among the many wreaths were tiny bunches of flowers from cottage gardens—for above all she was the friend of those less happily situated than herself. Requiem Masses were held in the Rhondda Valley and many other country places where her kind deeds arc remembered. I do not think we shall ever know all that she did in selfless devotion and generosity of spirit.

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