PUBLICITY OFFICER

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24102, 22 October 1941, Page 8

PUBLICITY OFFICER

NEW ZEALAND HOUSE MR. H. T. B. DREW RESIGNS LONDON, Oct. 20 Mr. H. T. B. Drew has resigned his position as New Zealand publicity officer in London. The New Zealand Government has expressed warm appreciation of Mr. Drew's services since 1923 when, after accompanying the then Prime Minister, the late Mr. Massey, to London, he remained for the purpose of establishing a publicity department at New Zealand House. Press relations work, for which Mr. Drew was responsible, is now being combined with the library section of the High Commissioner's office under Mr. C. A. Burdekin, and New Zealand is without a special press officer in Lon,don.' Mr. Drew intends to devote himself unofficially "to publicity for New Zea- ' land, and stated that there was urgent need for greatly enlarged activity. The staff of New Zealand House made a presentation to Mr. Drew. Mr. Drew, who is 63 years of age, was engaged in journalism in New Zealand before receiving his appointment in London, serving on the literary staffs of the Wellington Evening Post, the Dunedin Evening Star and the Dominion, Wellington. For some years he leased the Manawatu Daily Times. He served as a lieutenant in the Ist New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and was promoted captain. After the armistice he wrote a volume of the official history of the war. -Mr. Drew was born in New Plymouth.