ENGLISH HOSPITALITY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18162, 9 August 1933, Page 5

ENGLISH HOSPITALITY

DELEGATES ASTOUNDED WEALTH AND PROSPERITY , : ■ 1 :; ~v,Lt ROYAL GARDEN PARTY LONDON, June 30. Whether the World Conference succeeds in setting the nations back on the road to economic recovery or not, it is certain that the delegates will carry back with them to the farthest corners of the earth wondrous tales of English hospitality. Many of the visitors come from countries where poverty and stagnation have been the lot of their people for years. They are frankly astounded by the evidence of wealth and even prosperity to be seen on all sides in London and in southern England. They have been enormously impressed with the apparent soundness and stability of England, and the programme of hospitality arranged for them has added the final touch of conviction to their impressions. Never has such a staggering list oi entertainments of one kind or another confronted any body pf visitors to this country. From the opening day they have been plunged into a round of social functions, and until mid-July every second day there is an entertainment of some sort demanding the presence of one or more members of all the 66 delegations. Dinners, garden parties and receptions follow one another in bewildering succession,-interspersed, of course, with such brilliant events as are regular features of the London season. Outstanding among them all was the Royal garden party at Windsor Castle, ■ivhen the King and Queen received the delegates and tneir wives and daughters. The gardens of Windsor are typical of the peaceful flower-fragrant countryside of England, and memories of the lovely picture presented by the rose gardens, at their very best, the tall delphiniums of every shade from deep purple _to palest lilue, the great masses of pink and scarlet geraniums and snapdragons will surely remain in the visitors’ memory as one of the "highlights” of a memorable visit. EVERY TABLE- WAS OF “MIXED” NATIONALITY The programme of entertainments began with a dinner given by the British Government on a vast scale at Grosvenor House. To accommodate the 700 guests it- was necessary to make use of what is normally the ice rink. Care was taken in arranging the seating to .ensure that the company at each table should be thoroughly “mixed” as to nationality. For instance, at tho writers’ table eight countries were represented—Albania, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Scotland, Norway, Germany, England and Canada. Speeches on these occasions, of course, have to be given in two languages, French and English—which it must be admitted, is a tedious business more suitable for the conference hull than for a dinner.

While the Prime Minister presided over the function, his daughter, Miss Ishbel, was hostess to several hundred ladies at the Dorchester Hotel, not far away. Her guests were the womenfolk nf the delegates and a number of distinguished English women. Later they came on to Grosvenor House and watched the colorful scene from the balcony. One memorable evening the great livery companies of the city of London entertained the delegates in their various halls and there followed a brilliant reception by the Marquess and Marchioness of Londonderry at Londonderry House. The delegates were divided lip amongst the city companies, and at the reception later were not backward in expressing their admiration for the Splendid halls where they had been entertained^

BRILLIANT ASSEMBLY AT LONDONDERRY HOUSE I/ondonderry House has been the scene of many notable functions, but never have the galleries and reception rooms presented such a scene of brilliance, The male shirtfront not displaying the brilliant-hued sash of some order seemed to be the exception; medals and glittering decorations were to be seen on all sides, while jewels flashed and sparkled in the gleam of a thousand lights. At the head of the -broad stairs receiving the guests stood the Marchioness of Londonderry, a gracious resplendent figure scintillating with diamonds. The Lord Mayor of London, of course, would, not be left out of such a programme of hospitality, and with the Sheriffs entertained at a noble banquet in the Guildhall. The Queen was present at a special gala performance at Covent Garden Opera House, when many delegates were present; the Speaker entertains at his official residence; Lord and Lady Astor arS giving a garden party at their lovely country place, Cliveden, on the Thames; Lord and Lady Ebbisham and Sir Philip Sassoon are doing the same thing at their country holises, not far from London. In addition, of course, there are many minor entertainments—concerts and musical parties which are again becoming popular among some of London’s leading hostesses. In between times, the delegates have beep trying to keep their minds bn the sober task which brought them to London, but many of them have found time also to “take in” the most spectacular features of London fn summer, such as Henley regatta, Ascot races and the air pageant at Hendon.

LORD MAYOR’S BANQUET , Only one leading nation of the world still remains completely on the gold standard, but massive * objects of the metal were all about the 800 delegates to the World Monetary and Economic Conference who dined in the ancient Guildhall. Guests of the Corporation of the City of London, representatives of 66 nations ate from its weighty table service of pure gold. Beneath the Gothic arches of the hall hung suspended a score or more> of solid gold plaques and trophies. At the close of the dinner, all the guests drank from solid gold loving cups. Among the guests were: M. Georges Bonnet, Finance Minister of France; which country has retained the classic basis for currencies. He inquired of his at the table, Sir John Simon, the British Foreign Secretary, why Great Britain, with so much gold about, did not return to the gold standard.