A GRACEFUL COMPLIMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3995, 7 October 1930, Page 20

A GRACEFUL COMPLIMENT.

GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S SECRET. WELLINGTON, October 5.

“ I want to let you into a little secret,” said his Excellency the Governor-General (Lord Bledisloe) when speaking at the Wellington Welsh Society’s welcome at the Town Hall concert chamber on Saturday evening. “Of course, I know that secrets are extraordinarily difficult to keep with that (pointing to the microphone) here and when there are several people listening who are not visible to the speaker. But quite frankly I should have never accepted the responsible task of representative of his Majesty the King in this country but for the valuable help and sympathy of my Welsh wife. Whatever merits there may be in Wales, and I am told they are many, I can assure you that it produces the fairest and sweetest of women and the best of wives.

“ Of course, you and I are going to ba quite confidential,” his Excellency continued. “ I want to tell you what is perfectly true —that her Excellency and I never quarrel, except on one subject, and that subject recurs from time to time when the weather is particularly bad or a southerly wind is blowing for several days. That controversy is regarding the merits of Gower Promontory in Glamorganshire, Wales, as seen from her Excellency’s window, and the estuary of the Severn as seen from the window of my home in Gloucestershire. Mr Forbes is going to visit the locality of my home next week, and subsequently he is going to visit the Severn, and the first thing I am going to say to him when he returns is, ‘ What, in your opinion are the respective merits of the Gower Promontory and the Severn Estuary?’ I am fairly confident as to his reply.”— (Laughter.)