OMISSION OF NELSON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 28 June 1943, Page 2

OMISSION OF NELSON

GENERAL FREYBERG’S TOUR PRIME MINISTER LOOKING INTO QUESTION

't tXu! 1U On Saturday the Nelson-Marlbor-ough-West Coast League of Local Bodies sent a telegram to the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) urging that the itinerary for General Freyberg’s tour be amended so as to include a visit to at least one town in the Leagues area. On receiving it the Prime Minister personally telephoned the secretary of the League, saying he fully understood the eagerness of all New Zealanders to pay tribute to the General and the Division. The great difficulty in extending the itinerary was the time factor, for General Freyberg had only a very limited period before returning to the Middle East. However, he would have the itinerary looked into again to see whether a visit to at least one of the centres in the northern part of the South Island could be fitted in. The possibilities of air travel in arranging the visit were stressed by the League. WORK FOR THE TROOPS PRESENT FOR LADY FREFBERG Wellington, June 26. Keen interest was shown by Lieut. - General Freyberg, V.C., in the way in which discharged members of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force were linking up with the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association and taking an active part in its administration, when he visited the headquarters of the N.Z.R.S.A. to-day and met members of the Dominion executive committee. Welcoming General Freyberg, the Dominion president, the Hon. W. Perry, said: “We cannot allow this opportunity to pass without expressing our gratitude for the magnificent work done by Lady Freyberg in caring for the welfare of New Zealand servicemen in Egypt. We ask you to take back to her as our appreciation of her noble work this paua shell necklet. The paua shell is from New Zealand beaches and the gold was mined on the West Coast. The necklet was fashioned by craftsmen at the disabled servicemen’s factory in Wellington.” General Freyberg, in responding, paid a tribute to the New Zealand women associated with Lady Freyberg. The gift would be treasured by Lady Freyberg.—P.A. POSSIBILITY OF VISIT MR FRASER’S MESSAGE TO MR ATMORE Mr H. Atmore, M.P.. has been in touch with the Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) about an alteration in General Freyberg’s itinerary. Mr Fraser said he would advise him immediately a reply was obtained from the General. He had suggested the possibility of making a visit to Blenheim and Nelson even if it was only for at short time.