PASTIME ON LEAVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24421, 5 October 1940, Page 18

PASTIME ON LEAVE

"FINDING RELATIVES" (From Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, Sept. 9. A favourite pastime of many New Zealand soldiers on leave in Britain has been trying to find relatives in various parts of the country. The majority of them have been successful. One New Zealander, Private H. K. Miller, of the 23rd Canterbury-Otago Rifles, was put into touch with relatives at Greenock, Scotland, With the aid of the Greenock Telegraph. His father left there for Dunedin over 40 years ago to settle. '..•,. .. When a note was published in the newspaper several people called to say that they were certain Private Miller was a relative. They were right. He also met relatives in Edinburgh and Largs, s Many New Zealanders have shown their appreciation of the hospitality extended to them during their leave. One sent the Lord Provost of Glasgow a centennial half-crown as a token of " the great hospitality I and other New Zealanders have received in Glasgow." Indicating that they were now stationed in another part .of the. country, he added that they would like to be transferred again to Glasgow to " assist in the defence of the city we have grown to love in a few days." Troopers R. Lovell and F. Lovell (Marlborough) traced relatives in Lincolnshire with the aid of the Lincolnshire Standard. Their grandfather, Mr William Lovell, emigrated to New Zealand when he was 16. A few hours after an item had been published in the Lincolnshire Standard a relative rang up the newspaper to say he was a coiifin of the New Zealander's father. When the three met, the relative. Mr G. A. Young, produced a photograph of the two New Zealanders which he had had in his possession for some time. Corporal Gordon Davis (Auckland) and Lance-corporal Bernard Fitzgibbon (Wellington) received a warm welcome in Aberdeen after they had written to the Lord Provost asking him to find a homely household with whom they could spend their leave. They told their host an^ 1 hostess that they had heard that Aberdeen was " a: great place." and thev added: " One of the main reasons why we wanted to -spend our leave in Aberdeen was that we like the Scots people so much at home." After such a remark it is not surprising that thev enjoyed their leave!