SIR HARRY BATTERBEE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23707, 14 January 1939, Page 11

SIR HARRY BATTERBEE

NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY LUNCHEON “WISE AND TRUSTED MAN * DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE’S COMPLIMENT (From Oub Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, Dec. 21. The thought of Wellington basking in sunshine with the thermometer at 100 degrees in the shade was delightful, if not comforting, to members of the New Zealand Society who had made their way through swirling snow in a temperature of 22 degrees to meet Sir Harry' and Lady Batterbee at the SaVby Hotel yesterday. Sir Harry, who will arrive in Wellington on March 9 to take over the new post of the United Kingdom High Commissioner in New Zealand, was entertained with Lady Batterbee by the society. Mr W. J, Jordan, New Zealand’s High Commissioner, president of the society, suggested amid laughter that the guests would miss “ this bracing, stimulating, exhilarating climate, which undoubtedly has its values, since it draws the people of Britain closer together for mutual advantage and for warmth.” Sir Harry corrected that suggestion when replying a few minutes later; he read a telegram from Wellington, saying: ‘‘Sun shining this morning; temperature 100 in the shsdc^ Introducing Sir Harry, Mr Jordan said that his appointment was a further development of British activity in the dominions, and it followed naturally upon the appointment of Sir William Clarke to Canada in 1928. New Zealand was to be congratulated on the fact that Sir Harry had been chosen. Both Sir Harry and Lady Batterbee would make many friends in New Zealand, and he felt sure that when the time came for them to leave the Dominion their departure would be as much regretted as Lord and Lady Bledisloe r s.

“ We feel sure that they will grow into the life of the people and find happiness in a new country,” Mr Jordan added, “I am also sure that their residence there will be to their advantage, and certainly to the advantage not only of the Government but of all whom they meet.” Mr Jordan humorously suggested that equality of status enjoyed by New Zealand with Great Britain might lead the latter to go to the Dominion for a loan. In that event they might have to give another farewell luncheon, to Mr H. Carron Scrimgeour, a member of the Stock Exchange Committee and one of the guests, who no doubt would go to arrange it.

“A MINE OF INFORMATION” The Duke of Devonshire, Undersecretary for Dominion Affairs, commented upon the new departure of appointing a High Commissioner to New Zealand, and said that in the Dominions Office Sir Harry would be “ terribly missed.” He had a mine of information on every subject at his elbow. “ Our loss will be New Zealand & gain,” the Duke continued. “You will have a wise and trusted man to whom to go ” The Government would have the advantage of being in closer contact with one who knew the inside machinery of the Government in London, and who had carried out a great deal of the technical work associated with the Statute of Westminster, as a result of which Imperial relations had developed and to-day had become a “living, live organism.” “I have never enjoyed anything more than my few days in your wonderful country, said the Duke. While he realised that Sir Harry and Lady Batterbee might miss the ties they were now breaking, he could assure them that they were going to a country where all things British flourished, where gardening was possible under good conditions, where flowers and shrubs grew larger, and where even the Stilton cheese, at Christchurch, excelled that made in England. At Gallipoli, the Duke of Devonshire concluded, the New Zealanders had been on the left of his regiment, and, from his experience, he could assure Sir Harry that he would never find one New Zealander who would let him down. REASON FOR NEW POST

Sir Harry Batterbee, replying, said that a High Commissioner to New Zealand had not been appointed because the present system had not worked well or because relations between the Dominion and the United Kingdom were growing more difficult, but because the whole range of the relations, whether in the sphere of international affairs, defence, trade, commerce, or air, or other communications, had so increased with the increasing complexities of modern conditions that some new means of communication and consultation had been thought necessary. For the success of the great experiment represented by the British Commonwealth of Nations and the method of solving all problems as they arose by the free discussion of partners sitting as equals round the council table, it was necessary that the means of consultation and discussion should be as many and as varied as possible.

Imperial conferences could only meet from time to time; Ministers could not find time to travel from one part of the Empire to another, and in the intervals between such opportunities for discussion there was need of a personal representative to voice the views, needs, aims, objects, and difficulties of the Government he represented.

Consultation between Governments, necessary and essential as it was, was not the only thing, nor indeed, the chief thing, that held nations of the British Commonwealth together. Nor was the duty of a High Commissioner confined to that of Governmental representative. Sir Harry said that he would like to feel that his duties were those of an Ambassador in the wider sense, a dutv to try to interpret the feeling and ideas of one part of the Commonwealth to another. “It is,” he said, “the sense of family feeling, of real warmth of affection between the various members of the Commonwealth, of a spirit of unity symbolised by the common loyalty to the King, which is the real cohesive bond of the British Commonwealth to-day. It is because nowhere is that feeling more strong than between this country and New Zealand that I feel that I am peculiarly fortunate to have been chosen as the first United Kingdom High Commissioner in New Zealand.”

Sir Harry remarked that he had never forgotten the scenes of enthusiasm, nor the kindnesses shown, when he had accompanied the King' and Queen —then Duke and Duchess of York —to New Zealand as a member of their staff. NEW ZEALAND’S CHARM

“ I have.” he said, “ visited many parts of the world, and I think that the charm of New Zealand lies in this: that in some parts of the world, in some tropical country, or in the East, it is the dissimilarity of the scene from Home that calls up the memory of some views of Home, some view of the country in spring, or the view of hills with a glimpse of the sea. or some loved View of the Kentish weald from the Nqrth Downs. “But in New Zealand it is the similarity of the scene that calls up. these thoughts. I remember walking in the country near Wellington and feeling that I was walking on Salisbury Plain, so similar were the view and the very feel of the air. I hope to find that walk again, but wherever we go I am convinced that my wife and I will feel at home. We look forward to going to New Zealand much more than I can say." A vote of thanks to Mr Jordan for presiding was proposed by Mr D. F. Reid, chairman of the New Zealand Society. Among those present were the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, Viscount Bledisloe, Sir Edward and Lady Harding, the High Commissioner for the Irish Free State and Mrs Dulanty, the High Commissioner for Southern Rhodesia, Mrs Jordan, Sir Thomas Allen. J.P.. Mr F. S, Arthur. Lord Bamby, Rearadmiral A. Bromley and Mrs Bromley, Dr R. M. Campbell. Sir David Chadwick and Lady Chadwick, Mr T. B. Ching, Dr J. L. Comrie, Mr and Mrs J. B. Cortdliffe, Sir Cecil and Lady Day, Mr and Mrs M. B. Esson, Miss B. M. Esson, Mr and Mrs S. H, Fitter, Lieut.-colonel Norman Fitzherbert, Mr Harold M. Ford, Mr and Mrs R. S. Forsyth, Colonel Lord Gorell and Lady Gorell, Sir Louis Greig, Sir Edward and Lady Harding, Mr P. K. Hodgson. Mr H. R. Hull. Mr and Mrs W. L. James, Mr W. F. Jordan, Mr N. A. Jory, F.R.C.S., and Mrs Jory, Colonel and Mrs E. ff. W. Lascellcs, Mr John Lascelles, Mr J. Macmillan, Captain H. J, F. Mills, Lieut.-colonel Bernard Myers, Colonel T. E. G. Nugent, Mr B. Sanderson, Mr and Mrs F. T. Sandford. M? H. Carron Scrimgeour, Mr and Mrs M. Maurice Smith, Mr and Mrs Hal Williams, Mr C. J. Wray. Mr and Mrs W. H. Young.