BEAUTIFUL LAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24275, 16 May 1942, Page 9

BEAUTIFUL LAND

SIGHTS IN PALESTINE TROOPS' TRIP FROM EGYPT (0.c.) WANGANUI, Friday "I must state that Palestine is the one country I have visited where I would be content to live. You would love it, and the name 'The Promised Land' is more than apt," writes Corporal A. N. Campbell to friends in Wanganui. Describing the journey from Egypt, Corporal Campbell writes:—"l left Egypt at the crack of dawn, sitting in the back of an open truck, nicely tucked up with rugs and very cosy, too. We came to the fringe of the Sinai Desert and all day we drove along a perfect road. On either side were rolling sand dunes just as you see them in the coloured pictures. "The sand was corrugated and lay still as death. All it required was the traditional camel and the Arab praying toward Mecca to complete the picture. Oalm and Peaceful "At dusk we crossed a bridge over a dry river bed. We were now in Palestine. All was so calm and peaceful that I wondered how such atrocities were being committed all over the world. "From desultory scrub and a few Bedouin tents we came upon patches of cultivation. The remains of an old aqueduct skirted the road for miles and arched bridges were evidence of the engineering skill of a bygone age. "On all sides now were hills and huge plains of green crops. Here was the Promised Land and even more beautiful than 1 ever imagined. The natives, Arabs, Jews and Bedouins, were far more pleasant than the Egyptians. All the villages were scrupulously clean and the sand huts were well maintained. The women wore coloured gowns and lots of bangles and jewels and reds and greens and yellows and blues were gaily flaunted. The Arab dressed and looked like a Sheik and his patriarchal beard and hook nose showed that he was no slave. "Sold Peacocks to Solomon" **On the hill slopes were tractors drawing ploughs, side by side with the primitive ploughs of the ancients drawn by two oxen, a camel, or two donkeys, and in one case a donkey and a small ox were yoked. The Jews were typically European in dress. There were Arab children and when 1 commenced to barter for a sack of oranges a loaf of bread one of our party said, 'Look at Campbell trying to barter with them. They were the people who sold peacocks to Solomon.' It was so aptly put that we roared. "Wo passed beautiful villages with modern streamlined blocks of flats, happy Jewish children off to school by car, _ bus, bicycle and horse and gig, dignified Arabs and tiny tots, gave us the 'thumbs up' sign and V for victory. These were the sights in Palestine, the most beautiful country 1 have ever seen. "Clusters of oranges hung like golden globes on the orange trees, and lemons and delicious grapefruit were paler, but no less majestic. Villages were everywhere, brought into prominence by the spires and minarets and flat-topped roofs and their herds of sheep, goats and camels, and _ the Jewish by the lovely modern buildings and numerous trees. Even on distant hillsides were dozens of settlements and not a square yard was left uncultivated." COMMISSIONS GAINED NAVAL VOLUNTEER RESERVE (Spucial Correspondent) LONDON, May 14 The following have gained temporary commissions in the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve:—J. W. Thompson, N. G. Stewart, of Dunedir.i; W. R. Simmons, of Auckland: A. ,T. Gillon, of Otago; also D. F. MHiigan and J. R. Gardiner. Sub-Lieutenant 0. J. Hooker, of Auckland, has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant.

Lieutenant Hooker is the only son of Mr. L. V. Hooker, of 36 Kelmarna Avenue, Heme Bay. He left New Zealand as an able-seaman in May, 1940, lin the first draft of Royal New Zeai land Naval Volunteer Reserve men to I ho sent to Britain. Ho has been comI missioned for some time and for the | past few months has been acting in the ! rank in which he has now been conj firmed. As a sub-lieutenant ho was in a j motor-launch which took part in offen- | sive patrols in the English Channel. ' He was educated at the Bayfield I School being captain prefect, and 1 later joined the staff of the Automobile Association (Auckland). He joined the R.N.Z.N.V.R. somo years ago and was also a well-known member of the Richmond Cruising Club. He was an enthusiastic member of the Ruapehu and Otaihape Ski Clubs and in his first competitive racing met with outstanding success. He was also a keen scout and holds the rank of scoutmaster, as well a.s being assistant scoutmaster of the Hawke Sea Scouts at the time of leaving New Zealand, TE AROHA SEAMAN SERVICE IN DESTROYER News that her husband, J. Noel Barker, has been appointed to a commission in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (Imperial) has been received by Mrs. G. Barker, of Te Aroha. SubLieutenant Barker, who is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. .1. E. Barker, of Te Rapa, formerly of Wardville, left New Zealand just over a year jyjo under Scheme 15 for naval war service. After three months at H.M.S. Ganges he served in a destroyer in the North Sea, and then returned to Britain for his final course. He was educated at the Hamilton High School.

FINE FOR ASSAULT

OFFENCE AGAINST GIRL (0.C.) HAMILTON, Friday "Young' women doing men's work in wartime must he protected, and I give a warning that future offenders will bo sent to prison," said Mr. W. H. Freeman, S.M., in Hamilton, when imposing a line of £5 on William Andrew Blair, aged clerk (Mr. Adams), for assaulting a girl of 16. Accused denied the charge. Evidence was given that accused made a business call at the garage at which the girl was employed. He put his arm round her and made an improper suggestion. The magistrate said he did not believe accused's version of the incident, and he did not think much of the woman witness who had previously employed the girl and the efforts made to besmlroli th« girl's character,