MR COATES IN LONDON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19980, 23 December 1926, Page 16

MR COATES IN LONDON.

BUSY TIME EXPERIENCED. A FULL PROGRAMME. , WONDERFUL HOSPITALITY. (From Oub Own Correspondent.) LONDON, November 2. 1 The Right Hon. J. G. Coates and his stall are experiencing the busy time which is an inseparable adjunct to an Imperial Conference. Official engagements including the interesting round of social functions that have been arranged in their honour—take up most of the days and evenings, but in the early mornings and immediately prior to the dinner hour, the New Zealand Prime Minister is continuously occupied. There is always a succession of callers who look in at the Hotel Cecil to pay their respects, and there are usually a number of business men awaiting their turn to be admitted. Sometimes the latter come as deputations, sometimes in their twos or threes; sometimes singly to Jay suggestions of New Zeaalnd importance before the Prime Minister. From 9 a.m. to 10.45 a.m. each day such is the procedure; at 11 a.m. the work of Conference or of its committees is begun at Downing street. Saturday mornings, so far, are free from Conference work, but there is, usually, some function to attend, or in the alternative the entire morning is taken up seeing business men, or people who arrive in t search of “interviews,” or artists who come to take a pencil drawing for some ’ London journal. One morning last week while the Prime Minister was chatting to your correspondent, a well-known artist was sitting by at work on a profile sketch, which appeared in print next morning. Probably Mr Coates has never sat with a better result.

Mr and Mrs Coates are very greatly enjoying the hospitality that has been arranged in cbnnection with the Conference. Everyone is so particularly kind and ur thoughtful, and so much interested in New Zealand that they feel very much at home. There are many opportunities for them to be brought into personal touch with people of note, and they greatly appreciate these opportunities. Commenting generally upon the Conference and its work, Mr Coates said; “I feel sufficient confidence to know that the common sense of the Imperial authorities N. will always be directed to the advantage of the Empire, and for that reason I, for one, cannot see any other than a very

satisfactory conclusion to all our deliberations or talks upon the many matters which affect the different parts of the Empire. All the talks which are a necessary preliminary to a conference of this kind are very useful because each delegate is able to state his own views for his own country, and in the result each one learns much about the views of the other countries of the Empire. Such an understanding of one another must have the effect of giving confidence to the leaders ; of those political parties in each of the different parts of the Empire.” THE PACIFIC CABLE BOARD. Touching on the outstanding questions connected with the Pacific Cable Board, which have been discussed between representatives of the partner Governments (Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand), Mr Coates said: “All difficulties have been cleared up. I have no reason to believe that everything will not bo straightened out satisfactorily to all the partner Governments.” Subsequently the official notification was made that a satisfactory understanding had been arrived at on all points, and the necessary legislation would be introduced as soon as possible to provide:— (a) For reorganisation of the numbers of the board and revision of the method of appointment of the chairman; (b) for settling the amount fo be placed to reserve in future; (c) for the disposal of any annual surplus which may accrue hereafter. A clearer definition is to be made as to the relations between the board and the partner Governments. Full details will be ■ available as soon as possible. SHIPPING INTERESTS. Mr Coates has had visits from many people who have sought to interview him on matters relative to shipping, particularly with regard to fast-equipped boats. The idea is purely to link up New Zealand more closely with the Mother Country by shortening the time taken on the voyage. SOME FUNCTIONS BRIEFLY SUMMARISED. On October 25 Mr and Mrs Coates lunched with Lord Balfour, and in the afternoon the latter attended a debate in the House land. Subsequently he went to the National Premier was received by the Prince of Wales at St. James’s Palace, and then he went on to broadcast his talk on New Zealand. Subsequent!-- he went to the National Sporting Club to witness the Heeney-Stan-

ley boxing match. On October 25 Mrs Coates attended the reception arranged by the Royal Colonial Institute, and Mr Coates was present at the dinner of the Royal Navy Club, over which Admiral Earl Jelltcoe presided. Those present included Rear-admiral J. E. T. Harper, and Rear-admiral A. G. Hotham. This function is always private in character. The Prime Minister of England replied to the toast of “The Guests.” On October 27 there was the luncheon given by the Board of the London Times Company at Printing House square, Major the Hon. J.- J. Astor presiding. Mrs Coates was among those invited «to a reception given by the American Women’s Club. In the evening both were present at the big reception given at Westminster Palace, under the auspices of the Empire Parliamentary Association. Next day Mr Coates was a guest ai luncheon of tne Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Sir Austen Chamberlain), and in the evening, after dining with the Rt. Hon. L, S. Amery and Mrs Amery, both Mr and Mrs Coates attended the ball at Australia House, held in aid of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson war memorial for nurses whose lives were lost in the war. This was a brilliant function and successful financially. The event of the evening was the announcement of winners of prizes at midnight in the ballroom. The first was an aeroplane flight to Brussels and back given by the Imperial Airways; the second a flight with Sir Alan Cobham presented by himself; the third a piece of jewellery. Besides these were many other handsome gifts which were disposed of by auction. The programmes, very handsome things of their

kind, and presented for the cause, were sold by some 24 nurses in uniform from the E.G.A. Hospital. The programmes were numbered for the drawing of the winning numbers at midnight. On Friday, October 29, Mr Coates attended the Chamber of Shipping Luncheon, while Coates was one of the guests at luncheon of the Empire Circle of the Lyceum Club, where she made a gracious little speech. On Saturday came the visit to the Fleet, and then a week-end at St. Laurence Hall. Venntor. whore iho Premier end Mrs Coates were the guests of Earl and Countess Jcllicoe. Yesterday Mr and Mrs Coates were at the luncheon given by the British Empire Producers’ Organisation at , Goldsmiths’ Hall. Last night there was the banquet tendered bv the League of Nations Union, and attended bv Mr and Mrs Coatos. This week’s engagements also include the luncheon tendered to the Indian representatives: dinner with Mr and Mrs Winston Churchill: private luncheon with the Earl and Countess of Cavan; State dinner at Buckingham Palace; visit to Manchester to receive the freedom of the city ; and a visit to the wireless station at Rugby. Next week Mr Coates will dine with the First Lord of the Admiralty: with Mrs Coates ho will attend the Lord Mayor’s banquet at the Guild Hall. There is to bo the luncheon under the auspices of the Empire Marketing Board at the Carlton Hotel, with Mr Amery in the chair; Mrs Coates will be present at a meeting of the Society for the Overseas Settlement of

British Women; on Armistice Day the Prime Minister will attend the service at the Cenotaph and place a wreath on behalf of New Zealand : there will be the dinner of the Federation of Chambers ol Commerce of the Empire, and then a weekend at Cheoners. Cities which will confer upon the Now Zealand Premier the honour of freedom are Manchester. London. Edinburgh. Btoke-on Trent, Sheffield. Mrs Coates will attend all these five ceremonies. Final arrangements are not vet completed. but Mr and Mrs Coates expect to leave about the end of December. Until the Conference concludes they are not able to see their relatives, some of whom live in Scotland and Ireland. To date. Mrs Coates has been able to spend onlv one dav with her parents, but naturally she looks forward to being with them later. Her mother is practically an invalid and her father is no _ longer a young man. Mr Coates, too. is anxious, if nossible, to see some of the battlefields of France, and the military cemeteries, especially some of those wKara Navy Zealanders So at seat.