SIR CYRIL NEWALL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23880, 3 February 1941, Page 8

SIR CYRIL NEWALL

VISIT TO AIR STATION NEW ZEALAND SQUADRON HAKA BY SERGEANTS [from our own correspondent] LONDON, Dec. *23 Five sergeants and a corporal g ave a 11aka in the officers' billiards room for Sir Cyril Newall, the GovernorGeneral designate of New Zealand, Ail - .Marshal R. E. C. Peirso, Coinmnnder- | in-Chief, Bomber Command, and Air Vice-Marshal J. E. A. Baldwin, officer commanding the group which includes, the New Zealand squadron, when they visited the New Zealand Bomber Squadron fast week. Sir Cyril had expressed a desire to meet officers and men of this squadron before he leaves for New Zealand, and he was presented with two of twelve pictures which he will take with him to the Dominion for exhibition there. Description of Pictures One of these pictures is by Mr. j Charles Cundall. it shows a New Zea-j land crew leaving a Wellington aircraft on returning to their station at dawn after a night raid on Germany. The squadron raised £IOO by subscription to buy this painting —which is probably worth four times that sum — as a presentation to New Zealand. The second picture Sir Cyril received was a portrait of Wing-Commander M. W. Buckley by Oswald Birley. Until recently Wing-Commander Buckley commanded the New Zealand Squadron. Ho has been transferred to another station, and succeeded by "WingCommander C. E. Kay. Many New Zealand officers at present serving at other stations joined the New Zealand Squadron to meet the new Governor-General. The occasion was made the first guest night of the I war. | The sergeants who performed the , haka were led by Flight-Sergeant JO. j Williams, D.F.M., who learned bakasj I when he attended St. Stephen's School, I Auckland. The performance was a great success. Suggestion for Dominion [ The station commander, Group-Cap-I tain C. 0. F. Modin, who proposed the | toast of the new Governor-General at j dinner in the officers' mess, mentioned i that in the short space of one year j the New Zealand Squadron had become i a veteran squadron. He was very proud ! of- it. "]f New Zealand would like to i do anything for me." Group-Captain Modin went on, "f should like them to remember that if they have a bit of wide open space that they want to make into an aerodrome, then why don't they call it after tfiis station." Sir Cyril, in his reply, promised that he would pass on this suggestion to Air-Commodore Saunders, "I sent him out there, and I hope T will still have some influence over him," Sir Cyril added amid laughter. Christmas Cards and Treats New Zealanders he had met in the past few weeks, he continued, had been very friendly and forthcoming. It had been a great help and he would leave England looking forward to five years in a wonderful country. "I have alI ready received Christmas cards from strangers in your country, and I have also received tracts," he added to renewed laughter. Sir Cyril promised that ho would do l his best to send the pictures to the I main cities and towns of the Dominion. "FULL OF ENTHUSIASM" !GREAT ADVENTURE AHEAD I j LARGE FAREWELL GATHERING I [from OUR OWN COl!respoxdknt] LOXDOX, Dec. 23 j The official farewell by the New Zealand Society to Sir Cyril and Lady Newall at a luncheon at the Savoy Hotel was the occasion for the biggest gathering of New Zealanders in London since the outbreak of the war. i Representatives of both Houses of Parliament and all the forces were i present. Lord Cranborne represented the Dominions Office. Sir Cyril referred to the very great help and assistance that he and Lady Newall had received from the High Commissioner for New Zealand, Mr. W. J. Jordan, and Mrs. Jordan. No one, he said, could have been more helpful. 'T hope that when I return from New Zealand I may be permitted to become a member of 'the New Zealand Society," said Sir Cyril amid applause. "Mrs. Jordan says that 1 will have to marry a New Zealander, but on that score, being already married, I asked for special dispensation." (Laughter.) Sir Cyril continued that he had. day by day, been making the acquaintance of more and more New Zealanders. The other day he went down to see the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in this country. He saw them 011 the march, on parade, and in hospital i units. Such experience as he had had iu his 37 years' association with the forces had convinced him that the New Zealand troops were in magnificent fettle. "It is not easy to leave this country under conditions such as exist at present. but I will say that we have a very great consolation," Sir Cyril said. "We feel that we are going with your good wishes and friendship to that great country of yours, to spend five happy years there and to bring up our family there. We hope to be as useful to New Zealand as we are certain we shall enjoy ourselves. "We shall watch and help this country in its great struggle. We will see the British Empire and her Allies advancing along the road to victory. We go full of enthusiasm, and fully encouraged for the great adventure ahead of us."