NAVY’S GUESTS

Southland Times, Issue 25360, 12 August 1935, Page 11

NAVY’S GUESTS

BREAKDOWN OF CATERING ARRANGEMENTS. London, July 18. Amusing stories are told of the experiences—not amusing at the time—of British Government guests aboard the hospital ship Maine, at the naval review, following the Admiralty s apology for the breakdown of the catering arrangements. “Dinner was a struggle,” relates Mr Mander, M.P. ’‘There were tables, but no seats. One had to get a plate, knife and fork, go to the kitchens, and scrounge one’s food. “I saw Sir Austen Chamberlain there, holding a fork and an empty plate.” A woman guest says that she was holding a plate, on which was some meat, when a clutching hand came over her shoulder and took the meat. The first Lord of the Admiralty (Sir Bolton Eyres-Monsell) has written to all the guests saying that he heard of the circumstances with the deepest regret. He could only apologize for the lack of hospitality shown to. those whom the Admiralty was anxious to honour. The guests included the German, Spanish and Russian Ambassadors, Mr Winston Churchill and junior Ministers. Several prominent guests, including the Irish Free State High Commissioner (Mr Dulanty), say, however, that they have no complaint to make; they could not have been better treated.