FIVE STRENUOUS WEEKS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21349, 25 November 1932, Page 12

FIVE STRENUOUS WEEKS

EMINENT MEN SEEN

MR. NORMAN'S KINDNESSES

FLOOD OF INVITATIONS

[BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Thursday Pleasant recollections of five strenuous weeks in London, during which he met men eminent in politics, banking and economics, were revived by the Minister of Finance, the lion. W r . Downie Stewart, in an interview this evening on his return from England. "I did not go once to a theatre or sei» one gallery," said Mr. Stewart. "I was kept busy and hardly moved from Lon-

don except at week-ends. Everyone was extremely kind. 1 had many callers at my hotel and 1 received more invitations to dinners and similar functions than 1 could have hoped to fulfil had 1 been in London six months.

"Typical of the courtesy extended to me was the kindness of Mr. Montagu Norman, who is regarded by sonic as the greatest statesman in Britain since the war. lie called on me at the hotel during my second day in London and he was the last to farewell me before I left for the boat train. There are men on bank directorates who have never met Mr. Norman and who in the normal course would never expect to meet him. They told me I was a very lucky man to have had such opportunities. Indeed, 1 was given facilities for meeting men 1 had wanted to meet for years.

"An amazingly keen interest in New Zealand affairs is taken l>y people in Britain, botli for business ami sentimental reasons," said Mr. Stewart. "Among those I met was Sir Basil Blackett who, of course, was in the Dominion a few years ago, Sir Henry Strakosch, Sir George Schuster, Sir Otto Niemeyer and Mr. J. M. Keynes."Mr. Stewart had nob been in London since 1916 and his only other previous visit was in 1903. He was particularly impressed with the traffic congestion in London streets and the skill of London taximen in threading their way by back street routes to avoid areas where "jams" might occur. Mr. Stewart said if one had a luncheon appointment in the city at 1 o'clock it was always necessary to leave one's hotel at least half an hour before that time to be sure of being able to keep the appointment. Concerning his particular mission, which is understood to have been in connection with arranging for the repayment of £5,000,000 of bonds issued in London in 1931, Mr. Stewart has nothing to say yet. As indicated in the Budget, the Government desires to exercise its option to convert as soon as favourable terms can be secured.

Mr. Stewart was entertained by the Coalition Party during the supper adjournment of the House this evening. Mr. Forbes and Mr. Coates made speeches of welcome and Mr. Stewart briefly replied.