AUCKLAND REVISITED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22018, 26 January 1935, Page 13

AUCKLAND REVISITED

ABSENCE OF 40 YEARS LONDON BUSINESS MAN OLD FRIENDSHIPS RENEWED Having spent five weeks in the North Island sight-seeing r.nd renewing old friendships after "hn absence of more than 40 years, Mr. A. C. Maclean, of London, left by the Monterey yesterday for Sydney. In the years since he bade farewell to Auckland, Mr. Maclean has had remarkable success in business in London.

Mr. Maclean first came to New Zealand as a boy with his parents in the sailing ship Waikato over 50 years ago. They settled in Auckland, and he received his education first at the Ponsonby School and later at the Grammar School under the headmastership of Mr. C. F. Bourne. He was associated from the time of his arrival with St. .James' Presbyterian Church and attended its Sunday School, of which Mr. A. J. Entrican, the deputy-mayor, was then superintendent, as he is now. Mr. Maclean took away with him when ho left a letter from the deputy-mayor officially welcoming him back to his old city and congratulating him on his success in London.

Mr. Maclean returned from Auckland to London when he was 20 years of age. He is the founder and chairman of directors of Maclean's, Limited, manufacturing chemists, of London. The rise of that firm in recent years has been described as a business romance. In Brentford, London, it possesses one of the most picturesque and up-to-date factories in Britain. The employees number about 300 and the firm is one of the largest advertisers of proprietary lines in .Britain to-day. Mr. Maclean is accompanied on his tour of the world by his youngest son. Mr. Donald Maclean. During the past five weeks they saw some of the finest scenery in the North Island and enjoyed yachting trips in the neighbourhood of Auckland.

"There has been & very loving feeling by. everybody toward England. That is what has appealed to me," said Mr. Maclean yesterday, speaking of impressions of his visit. He had mfet numbers of old friends and had been overwhelmed with kindness and hospitality during his stay. He said he had not been taken by surprise by the wonderful growth and development of Auckland since he last saw it, as he had been keeping closely in touch with the city all along and knew what had been happening. Mr. Maclean and his son propose to join the Franconia at Sydney for Durban. After spending a month in South Africa they will return to England about the end of May.