Mrs. Roosevelt Leaves for Australis

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 210, 4 September 1943, Page 4

Mrs. Roosevelt Leaves for Australis

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Sept. *. Precisely at the appointed time of 0 o’clock, Airs. Eleanor Roosevelt leij Auckland this morning for AustralifL so ending a week’s visit to New Zed* land in which every waking hour crammed with inspections and recep« tions. Notwithstanding the fatiguing nature of her brief tour, Airs. Roosevelt looked as fresh as she had on arrived and was as full as ever of that charnt and gentleness which enraptured everjr New Zealander who was privileged 14 meet her. Characteristic of Airs. Room* velt was the point she made of thanking all those who had accompanied and served her during her visit. “I am afraid I have been an awful trouble you all,” she said to the detectives drivers and officials who had been wit* her and she gladly consented to posing for a photograph with the detective* Mrs. Roosevelt left the city punctually at 8 o’clock from tho United State* naval officers’ mess where she had been staying. After saying goodbye to and thanking members of the mesa wh4 were in the vestibule, she signed some last-minute autographs, came outsider waved and said goodbye to the sm*R crowd which had collected, and entered her car. At the air station, at the entrance of which she received a salut# from a guard of honour of young AiaoruL Airs. Roosevelt was driven immediately to her waiting aircraft. Here Air* Roosevelt wan received by the Goverv nor-Generai who had preceded her the station. She thanked him for hie kindness and hospitality to her, chatted with him for a few minutes, and then shook hands and said goodbye to all those who hud gone to sec her safely away-. Meanwhile her luggage, including numerous gifts which she had received in New Zealand, was stowed away into the big machine. Airs. Roosevelt had a special word for Mr* Peter Fraser through whom she thanked all New Zealand women who, sh« said, had helped to make her stay mq delightful. She was also fa re welled by the Minister of Defence, lion. F. Jonesl Minister in Charge of War Coordination, Hon. W. Perry, the Mayor and Mayoress, Major General Bell, Commodore Dow ding, D.S.C., Air Commodora Buckley, and a number of other officers. Americans who were there to see her off included Mr. R. E. Cox, Charge d’Affaires and acting Minister at tho United States Legation; Colonel Nakiveil, military attache at the Legation; Mr. Hiram A. Boucher, Consul at Auckland; Captain dupp, senior American naval officer in New Zealand; Colonel I Boyers, commanding officer of tbo United -States Army Forces in New' Zea* land; and Lieutenant - Commander Brooks Gifford, naval operating base public relations officer. Airs. Roosevelt did not make any farewell speech before she left but to a number of those with whom she shook hands she said she had thoroughly enjoyed her visit and was very glad she had cornu. A few minutes before 9 o’clock Airs. Roosevelt ( limbed into the plane. Sho carried with her a posy' of freezias presented tq her by a small girl and wao still screwing on the cap of her fountain pen after giving her last New Zealand autographs to two boys. Mrs. Roosevelt stood for a moment in the doorway of the aircraft and waved a smiling j goodbye to her cheering wellwishers. She then entered the body of the aircraft and was prescntely seen seated alongside one of the windows. From, here she continued at intervals to wave and smile to the crowd of Americana and New Zealanders outside. Attending. Mrs. Roosevelt was the same staff which arrived with her. They were Licuteiiat-Goiumander Douglas Moulton, representing Admiral Halsey; Major George Durno, air transport command public relations officer; and Miss Aiarie Ryan, supervisor of the American Red Cross in the South Pacific area. Aiisi Ryan caused Mrs. Roosevelt and the crowd to laugh when she simulated her grief at leaving New Zealand by pretending sobbing into a handkerchief. Presently the great plane’s four engines came into roaring life, tho aircraft moved slowly on to the runway, rolled to the far end, turned into the wind, rushed forward with increasing speed, lifted and was away. It circled the air station once and then steadily gaining height, pointed its nose toward Australia and quickly disappeared from sight into a cloud as long and as white as the one from which the Maoris gave New Zealand the name of Aotearoa. It had been drizzling with rain when Airs. Roosevelt entered the plane but as tho machine climbed into its cloud, the iuu chased the rain away and promised a fair weather crossing of the Tasman. ARRIVAL AT CANBERRA CANBERRA, Sept. 3. Airs. Roosevelt has arrived at Canberra where a crowd had gathered to sec her arrive.