INTERESTING VISITORS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18899, 28 December 1935, Page 12

INTERESTING VISITORS

LINK WITH EARLY HISTORY :;■''''. ■ v Mfi-VM TEMPSKY AND :•«"-:'; -- : PARTY ' A passenger of interest to all New Zealanders_ .arrived in Auckland by the Strathaird in the person of Mrs. Randal von Tempsky, whose husband was a son of Major von Tempsky, who was killed duringran- encounter with hostile Maoris at Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu in 1868 and who has become a famous and romantic figure in the history oi the Maori Wars. ■Mrs. Bandal von Tempsky, tall, white-haired, charmingly friendly and smartly:dressed in a navy blue awLwlute rfuit; said that she was eager to see New Zealand,' the country which had won the heart and 'admiration of her father-in-law. Thfs Was her first visit to the Do nw on -'.- „. ~ -'Mrs. von Tempsky is travelling with her son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs; jHoger von Tempsky, her grandson,, Sir. Roger yon Tempsky, jun., and her daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. • von Tempsky Zebrinski, in what she herself calls "a proper family party." Mrs. von Tempsky and members of her family,'are visiting! New Zealand en route to their home in Hawaii on their return- from a world tour. They intend to shend about a month in New Zealand. , .Mrs. ,von Tempsky, sen., finds her chief interest abroad in places and the "people-whom she meets, but Mrs. Roger voh.Teinpsky and Mrs. Zebrinski are tennis players, swim- . mers and anglers. .--TheirVtour is scheduled to include all ifcne popular fishing districts in both the North and South Islands. .They are anxious to visit Rotorua and Taupo and see", aslmuch as possible of the life of the Maoris in Rotorua. "JTiVst impressions are those that matter," said Mrs. von Tempsky, in speaking about New Zealand, "and 1 am sure that were I.to find the rest of New Zealand dull and uninteresting and very ordinary (which I believe is impossible), the impression the Auckland Harbor has made upon me would neutralise all that. From now on New Zealand will always be beautiful to me."

Speaking about the old problem ol what" happened to Major von Tempsky's\ sword, Mrs. von Tempsky said that as he was an enthusiastic exponent of the SW_-ord as a method of hand-to-hand fighting, it was more than likely that a number of his swords were scattered about New Zealand and in the possession of* unsuspecting" cwhers. Probably, however.,., the-famous- von Tempsky sword which the major had carried with him faithfully on all his ventures had come into the possession of some Maori warrior; -Its actual fate or whereabouts would probably never be accurately ascertained.- "Major von Tempsky himself," said Mrs. von Tempsky, "was every inch a soldier of the old school. With a-swOrd in his hand he represented honor, freedom and stern attention to duty.; without it he was a charming and delightful companion. The von Tempsky Forest Rangers which formed part of the force under General Sir Trevor' Chute were the pride of his life." ■ 1 :.-.:■