PERSONAL LINK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19886, 14 March 1939, Page 16

PERSONAL LINK

BRITAIN AND DOMINION SIR HARRY BATTERBEE INTERPRETATIVE DUTY WELLINGTON WELCOME (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day.. The importance of personal contact between Great Britain and other partners in 1 the British Commonwealth of Nations was the keynote of speeches made at a civic reception tendered yesterday to the newly-appointed High Commissioner for Britain in New Zealand, Sir Harry Batterbee, and Lady Batterbee. There was a large and representative attendance of citizens. The Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, who presided, recalled earlier visits which Sir Harry had paid to New Zealand and said the knowledge he had gained then, as well as his other outstanding qualities, peculiarly fitted him for the office he had been called upon to fill. His presence in New Zealand would ensure personal contact between this country and Britain, and Mr. Hislop, was. certain : that the contact would b§g of inestimable value. The Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, said the Government was very pleased to be able to welcome H» New Zealand a direct representative of His Majesty's Government in Great Britain. The desirability of extending the link in Imperial communications had become very apparent to the New Zealand Government in regard to important, intricate and delicate matters which came up for consideration almost daily. Appreciation of Problems After referring to the almost hourly communications which had come from Britain during the September crisis last year, Mr. Fraser said it would be an added advantage to have someone who understood the various problems and could interpret more correctly and more intimately the communications which came to hand. That was an important function that Sir Harry had been called upon to discharge in New Zealand. He hoped Sir Harry and Lady Batterbee would have a very pleasant time in New Zealand and also looked forward to benefiting very greatly from the extensive knowledge which Sir Harry possessed. Sir Harry Batterbee thanked - the Mayor and Mr. Fraser for the welcome, and stated that before his departure he had been graciously received by Their Majesties, both of whom recalled memories of their visit to New Zealand. As the Mayor and Mr. Fraser had pointed out, he said the purpose of his appointment was to be an additional link between the United Kingdom and New Zealand for the purpose of supplementing information which camethrough official channels and to establish personal contacts between the two Governments; in a word, his mission was to be the interpreter of the mind of one Government to the other. That should not be a difficult task, seeing that they were so close together in outlook and ideals. Dispatches and telegrams could never take the place of personal discussions. It was only by personal discussions and thrashing things out that agreement could be reached.