WIFE OF NEW GOVERNORGENERAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24492, 28 December 1940, Page 10

WIFE OF NEW GOVERNORGENERAL

FLAIR FOR ORGANISATION TALENTED AND CHARMING (From Our London Correspondent)

Charming, natural, and vivacious, with a flair for organisation, Lady Newall, wife of the new GovernorGeneral, is going to be most popular with New Zealanders.

"I am looking forward immensely to going to New Zealand," she said, " and the children are most excited about it."

The Newalls are a typical happy English family—although Sir Cyril has had little time available for home life since the war began. Their two daughters, Georgiana and Diana, arp 14 and 13, and their son, Francis, is 10. Both Sir Cyril and Lady Newall ar<= extremely fond of music, and Lady Newall is a Halented singer, has read widely, and is keenly interested in agriculture. She has met many New Zealand airmen since the war started. With the Marchioness of Townshend, she has been responsible for organising the Officers' Club at the Dorchester Hotel. It provides entertainment for Dominion officers in the R.A.F., and has proved extremelv popular. Lady Newall also played a large part in organising the R.A.F Comforts and Benevolent Fund. During the first four months of the war, as a member of the committee, she worked at its office daily. Her flair for organisation proved of the utmost

value. The fund has been responsible for distributing over £300,000 of comforts since the war started, including 750,000 woollen garments, 5000 radio sets, and roughly 7,000,000 cigarettes. Lady Newall's great charm lies in her naturalness, and her ability to put those with whom she talks completely at. their ease. This is a talent possessed by Sir Cyril, who has none of the austere "military manner" about him. He talks easily and rapidly. "Lady Nevvall and I have both wanted to visit New Zealand, for a long time," he said. "My appointment, therefore, gives us the opportunity of fulfilling our wish. If for no other reason, I am particularly keen to see and live in the country which has produced so many first-class airmen. New Zealanders in the R.A.F. are doing a good job of work." Sir Cyril added that he hope\l to be able to make a detailed inspection of the Pacific defences, perhaps on his way to New Zealand. tr^so^ —a