NEW GOVERNOR

Stratford Evening Post, Volume III, Issue 155, 21 September 1934, Page 5

NEW GOVERNOR

New South Wales Appointment SiR ALEX HORE-RUTHVEN POPULAR IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Presj A^oriatiio.— -Onoyrieht" Sydney. September 13. ; Sir Philip Game is still in London* and nothing bat happened to throw any doubt on the oft-repeated statement that his to England is purely phonal j n n 0 gense official. But though his term of office does not expire till next May, his Excellency, when he left Sydney. Was A little vague in his references tor the future, and it is ne great surprise to learn that arrangements are already being made for a successor. Sir Philip and Lady Game are both: anxious to stay in England while their children are completing their education there, and" this no doubt is the nole reason for the change now contemplated. It is announced —on information Which is said to be unofficial but which even the cautious Sydney Morning Herald describes as 'reliable' —that the position of Governor has bren offered to Sir Alexander HoreRuthven, that he has accepted it. and that he will enter into possession when Sir Philip fame's term expires next year.

Sir Alexander Hore-Ruthvcn Is well

known in Australia. He came here first with Lord JCitchener. when that great soldier was compiling his report on ( our military system, and he was later military secretary to Lord Dudley, then Governor-General. But he was more intimately connected with the Commonwealth after January 1928, when he succeeded Sir Tom' Bridges as Governor of South Australia. There he .stayed five years, and when he left in May last year, he and Lady Hore-Ruthven were described as "the most popular Excellencies ever known in South Australia." On ihe day of their departure the ' streets of Adelaide were lined with 100.000 people, who cheered them enthusiastically and did everything in their power to express their admiration and regret. Distinguished Soldier

The new Governor is a very distinguished soldier. He has been in ■ the Army for more than 40 years, I he rnnkjs as Brigadier-General, and he ! has the D.S.O. and the V.C.—this : last conferred for rescuing a wounded : Egyptian soldier shrd ! Egyptian officer under fire during the | Sudan campaign, when the dervishes j were charging and were only 50 yards away. ' . During the Great War, Sir AlexI arid'er * was * severely wounded. but | he fought at Gnllipioli and in France • and was five times mentioned in disi patches, and won the D.S.O. and bar. I Since (the war he has had command ' first of the Welsh Guards and then

! of the First Infantry Brigade of the : Guards at Aldershot. But during his ! term of office in South Australia he j showed that his reputation as a first- ; class administrator was as well de-

served as his fame as a fighting man. A miln of courage and decision, -he leaves little doubt in the public mind as to what he means and what he intends to do. Though to some extent incapacitated by wounds which prevented him from hunting, he is an enthusiastic golfer, and displayed great interest in the athletic contests which fill so large a space in our national life.

Doing Good by Stealth 1 As to Lady Hore-Rttthven, we are ! told that in Adelaide she "endeared ! herself to every section of the I-people" by her public spirit, her charj itable impulses, and her practice of ■ "doing pood by stealth," without any ; publicity or advertisement. If we are to take literally any j large percentage of -what the Ade- ; laide people say about Sir Alexander ! and Lady Hore-Ruthven, we may } congratulate ourselves that thß i places to be left vacant by Sir Philip i and Lady Game are to be so admirj -ably filled.