THE HIGH COMMISSIONER

Otago Witness, Issue 3169, 9 December 1914, Page 54

THE HIGH COMMISSIONER

GETTING READY FOR THE SOLDIERS. (From Otjh Own Correspondent.) LONDON, October 28. The High Commissioner, accompanied by Sir John M'Call, visited the camp of King Edward’s Horse, at St. Albans, on Saturday, and continued his investigations with regard to soldiers’ equipment. Mr Mackenzie has now inspected boots, oilsheets, tweeds, cloth, etc., at several of the army camps, with a view to obtaining the best articles for the New Zealanders when any should be wanted. As a matter of fact, Mr Mackenzie has been asked to purchase boots for the Expeditionary Force, and he has placed an order for 8000 pairs with a Scottish firm. He is satisfied that they are better in quality than anything he has seen in other camps. He is also inquiring about puttees. While Mr Mackenzie was in one of the camps on Salisbury Plain he saw a number of men who have lately enlisted and who were trying to split up oak logs for fires, and it was quite evident they were new to the art of how to handle an axe and drive in a wedge. Much to the delight of the men, the High Commissioner seized hold of an axe and showed them how the work should be well and properly done. The site of the New Zealand offices in the Strand has now been cleared, and the work of building will shortly be taken in hand. Nine well-known firms sent in tenders, and the contract was secured by Messrs J. Greenwood, Ltd. It is understood that the price is about £25,000. The High Commissioner and Mrs Mackenzie are now settled in their new home at 50 Hanover Gate, Regent’s Park, and the former walks every morning through the parks to his office, a distance of three miles. The High Commissioner has received an invitation to the Lord Mayor’s banquet on November 9, thus following the precedent set last year, when the oversea representatives were invited for the first time to this important City function. He was the guest of the Savage Club last Saturday, and was presented with sketches made by some of the Savage artists. This week there arrived from New Zealand some very fine tree ferns, en route for a botanical garden in Russia. Mr Mackenzie found that to send them on the price would be prohibitive, and their safe arrival very problematical. Therefore he has offered them to a Sheffield gentleman who has successfully grown New Zealand ferns in the open.