ROYAL MENU CARD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18587, 22 December 1934, Page 15

ROYAL MENU CARD

GisifatMi SSlrdiio

Canberra State dinner

An honor paid To a former resident .-of Gisborne, who still has family, associationsi with this district, is thus discussed by . the Sydney correspondent ot the New Zealand JTree Lail.ce “When tile, Duke of Gloucester paid his State visit to Canberra, during the Royal tour of Australia, the Feflferal Government had the good' sense, to request Elioth Gfqner, Hie, New- Zealandborn Master of Auatralian landscape, to design the menu-cards. “Gruner selected a familiar Canberra scene from one of his studies, which is,

I believe, in the collection of the millionairess, Dame Edith Walker, of Yaralla, near Sydney. The Duke was so delighted with the painter’s work that next morning, accompanied by Jifs staff, he rode some miles out of Canberra so that lie might vie.w the scene that Gruner had reproduced in his honor. Tho Duke, who is an enthusiastic collector of menu-cards, obtained something ‘out of the box’ for, his Australian souvenirs, for Gruner’s work is acknowledged to stand alone in the Comfnonweaith. “'Tho New Zealander was invited to the official banquet, but o.wing to; illhealth he was unable to attend. In aiiy case, he hates functions of the kiiid. The painter is shy and retiring to a degree, much preferring to spend his time in camp, working in the country that he loves, .rather than enjoy the social life of the city.” The Free Lance correspondent also mentions other details of Gruner’s achievements, and refers to the former Gisborne artist's keenness to make a further tour of the Dominion, painting his way through the country as he did three or four years ago, when he left a remarkable record of artistic achievement which amounted to an enshrinement of.gome of New Zealand’s leastkpowrl beauty spots.