VISCOUNT HAMPDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20086, 25 October 1928, Page 16

VISCOUNT HAMPDEN.

TRIP TO NEW ZEALAND. BUSINESS AND PLEASURE. A MAN OF MANY INTERESTS. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] LONDON, Sept. 21. « .Viscount Hampden, the recently appointed chairman of the National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand in succession to Mr. Robert Logan, who has resigned the chair, is going to Now Zealand on a three months' visit, mainly in tho interests of the company. Since 1909 ho has been a director, having been elected to the board shortly after the death of his father, the second holder of the title. The latter, too, was chairman of tho company at one timo. Tho journey will be made via Canada and San Francisco, and Wellington should be reached on November 20 by tho Maunganui. Accompanied by Viscountess Hampden and their second daughter, the Hon. Barbara Brand, Lord Hampden will leave England on October 12. On their way across Canada tho travellers will pay a brief visit to the Governor-General, Lord Willingdon, formerly A.D.C. to Lord Brassey in Victoria. The. main purpose of the trip to the." Dominion is that tho new chairman of the National Mortgage and Agency Company should make himself conversant with the business of the company at the Dominion end. He is with much pleasure anticipating his visit, for, apart from the affairs of the company, he has other interests in common with New Zealanders. Viscount Hampden lives at Tho Hoo, near Welwyn, Herts, and ho farms on a considerable scale in that county, as well as in Cambridgeshire. Ho has many acres under crops; this year the yield is good, but prices aro low. He possesses a large dairy herd —Shorthorns. The milk, which is tuberculin-tested, grade A, is sent to the Welwyn Garden City, six miles away—a self-contained community which is steadily growing, the population having now reached over 6000. Lord Hampden turned the first sod of a certain section of the city—the section for which prizes were given by a London daily for architectural designs for suitable houses. Several young New Zealand architects were among the successful contestants. Interest in Bacon Industry. In another business enterprise—and one to which New Zealand farmers are turning their attention—Lord Hampden is interested. He is chairman of a farmers' co-operativo bacon factory, and tho development of the pig industry is of considerable moment, alike to England and to New Zealand, especially in view of the embargo on fresh pigs from Holland, Denmark, and Continental countries. On account of foot-and-mouth disease, importation of fresh meat from the Continent is not allowed. There should be a continuously growing demand for pig products, and the industry should be worth cultivating, despite the fact that the market is often so tricky, because of sudden fluctuations. In New Zealand Lord Hampden hopes to go into tho matter of the production of pigs suitable for the requirements of the English market. Another activity is Lord Hampden's interest in housing. He is chairman of directors of the undertaking known as South London Dwellings Company, started some 50 years ago by a philanthropic lady for tho improvement of workers' dwellings. The directors of this enterprise givo their services without fee. Although not on the most modern lines, the tenants under this company are able to live in very good tenement dwellings. On this directorate, too, Lord Hampden succeeded his father. Oilier occupations of a very full life include those of Lord in Waiting to the King —a non-political office; Lord-Lieuten-ant of the County of Herts; Member of the County Council; chairman of the Joint Committee which looks after the police in Hertfordshire: and chairman of the Rural Industries Bureau., Bonds With New Zealftnd. There is another reason why New Zealand appeals so much to Viscount Hampden. Ho is a soldier, having entered tho army in 1889. During the lato war, while serving as brigadier-general in command of an infantry brigade and a mounted brigade, ho saw a good deal of the New Zealanders. He was next to them in tho Battle of the Somme in 1916, and on September 15, when they made their great attack on Flers. Viscount Hampden is president of the Home Counties Area of the British Legion, and as ho has always taken a real interest in the welfare of ex-service men, he hopes to como across ex-soldiers during his stay, and to meet many with whom he formerly was acquainted. During tho South African campaign this officer was mentioned in despatches, and has the Queen's Medal with six clasps. During tho European War ho sorved in France, Galhpoli and Egypt, and was nienlionefj seven times in despatches, and received tho C.B. and tho C.M.G. for his services. Onco, many years ago, Viscount Hampden touched at. Auckland for a few hours, l'liis was during his father's Governorship of New South Wales—from 1895 to 1899. Tho hopo is expressed that thoro will bo some good fishing—sport of all kinds makes a special appeal to him. Ho was president of the M.Q.C. at the time that tho last Australian eleven visited tho Mother Country. Tho second son of Viscount and Viscountess Hampden, the Hon. I). F. Brand, was in New Zealand with tho last M.C.C. ! eleven—that captained by A. C. McLaren —so thcro is still a further interesting ink hot ween tho family and tho Dominion. Admiral tho Hon. Sir Hubert Brand, 1!. N., was in Now Zealand as second-m----comniand of tho fleet which toured tho Empire at tho end of 1923. Admiral Sir [l. Brand is the brother of Viscount Hampden. Viscountess Hampden is a Scottish lady. She was formerly Lady Katherino Mary Montagu-Douglas-Scott, daughter of tho sixth I'like of Buccieueh. Lord and Lady Hampden have a family of seven, and as tho youngest is only eight years of age, considerations of family welfare were duly weighed before tho trip was finally decided upon.