NEW ZEALAND DINNER

Otago Witness, Issue 3823, 21 June 1927, Page 32

NEW ZEALAND DINNER

ANNUAL FUNCTION IN LONDON. GOD SPEED TO HON. L. S. AMERY. LONDON, June 17. There were 400 enthusiastic guests at ( the New Zealand annual dinner at the Mayfair. Sir James Parr presided, the Hon. L. S. Amery, Secretary of State for the Dominions, was the chief guest, and others present were Earl Jellicoe, brilliantly bemcdalled. Sir Joseph Cook, Sir James Mills, Lord Islington, Mr Douglas Hay, manager of the New Zealand cricket team, the Bishop of London, the Earl of Liverpool, the Hon. John Huxham, Mr Robert Bell, Mr A. Brett, Admiral Beal, Generals Chaytor and Furse, Mr Peter Larkin, many shipping, banking, and produce representatives, Lord Vestey, and Mr H.

T B. Drew. The menu, which was outstandingly characteristic, included toheroa soup and rainbow trout sent from the Prime Minister, the- Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, at the request of Sir James Parr, Canterbury lamb, passion fruit and ice. A sensation was created on the appearance of an ice image of a kiwi. The floral decorations included pohutakawa, native ferns, flax, rimu saplings, and nikau palms. Sir James Parr bade Mr Amery Godspeed on his Dominions’ visit, and invited him to essay the Mount Cook climb. Mr Amery’s legal and journalistic training, fortified by his military and political career, enabled him to soundly appreciate the Dominion temperament, and only good could result from a visit to the Dominion by a statesman df such calibre. Others should follow his example.

Mr Amery, amid cheers and cries of “Kia ora,” said that the artist in ice last year thought that those attending the dinner would be flattered by the ice kangaroo, but to-night’s artist was on safer ground with a kiwi. The Imperial Conference demonstrated that the Empire was not an administration’ governed from one centre; but a commonwealth under a common Crown.

The Bishop of London said that it was one of the cheeriest dinners he had ever attended. Speaking of his visit to New Zealand he referred to the glorious and warm-hearted welcome he received, specially at Christchurch, from- the Mayor, who was a Baptist minister, a Labour member, and a jolly good fellow, too. The Bishop never felt more at home than in New Zealand, whose archbishops and bishops were the finest he had met round the world. It had been reported, he said, in a let-

ter to The Times, that after seeing the Governor-General, the Prime Minister and Labour Party in New Zealand, he had formed the opinion that only 10,000 people could go to New Zealand. He wished to make it clear that the Governor-General never said anything about migration. Mr Amery said he had the most pleasurable anticipations of what his visit to New Zealand would mean. He recalled his visit

in 1913, and said that he hoped to extend his mountaineering exploits, which were then confined to Mount Eden. He hoped to meet his colleagues, who were building up New Zealand, which was a little nation with a great heart. Anzac had demonstrated this, as he had seen when visiting Russell’s Post in the day when all deemed that victory was near: New Zealand’s Samoan administration was a true exemplification of her mandate. The Hon. Pember Reeves, proposing the toast of “The Visitors,’’ pointed out that Mr Douglas Hay, manager of the New Zealand cricket team, was sitting opposite Earl Jellicoe, and suggested that if Lowry wanted help he should send out an “5.0.5.” for Earl Jellicoe, who was a notable batsman. The Bishop of London was a fisher of men, for which reason he should have enjoyed the notable trout fishing in New Zealand. Mr Amery’s New Zealand visit should increase his eloquence. Mr Reeves also paid a tribute to Sir Joseph Cook and* to Colonel Gray as an Antipodean Adam, who tempted British Eve with New Zealand apples.—A. and N.Z. and Sydney Sun Cable. Sir Janjgs Parr interpolated a farewell toast to Sir Joseph Cook, saying he was sure that all would join him in wishing him many years of activity and usefulness.

Earl Jellicoe, in proposing the toast of “The Chairman,’’ assured him of the sympathy of every New Zealander in carrying out his important work in the intervals between conferences. It was desirable that British Ministers should go out and get into personal touch with their overseas colleagues. This applied particularly to the Secretary for the Dominions.