ROYAL AIR FORCE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19519, 29 December 1937, Page 3

ROYAL AIR FORCE

RECRUITS FROM DOMINION "WELCOME IN LONDON (From a Special Correspondent) LONDON, Dec. 8. Twelve young New Zealanders arrived in London three days ago to join up with the Royal Air Force, youths selected in New Zealand for service in this branch of Empire defence. They looked a very “likely lot” as the regimental sergeant-majors used to say in the war when reinforcements arrived. They went in a body to New Zealand House for instructions as to duty. They were, expected, and were taken to the only available room in the building, where the High Commissioner, Mr. W. J. Jordan, met them, and spoke some encouraging words. Mr. Jordan from war experience knows what it is to be a recruit, and incidentally to land in London as such, though the circumstances were not quite as in the war. Still, experience can help others a lot. Mr. Jordan gave the lads a warm welcome and wished them every success. The lads in typical New Zealand way told Mr. Jordan their appreciation of the warm reception he had given them, and said they would endeavour to bo as good New Zealanders as those who had come over here before them and uphold New Zealanders’ high reputation in Britain. Youths of the Empire. '

Mr. Jordan this week addressed a meeting at Wimbledon, where lie lives, on the subject of the Youths ol the Empire. He told of what was being done in New Zealand in the endeavour to maintain family life, and he specially included the efforts of the Hon. W. E. Parry to organise so that the leisure time now available to young people should be fully utilised for physical and healthy mental development. Many questions were asked the High Commissioner by the audience about New Zealand.