NOTED AMERICAN AUTHORS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVII, Issue 23114, 31 January 1945, Page 4

NOTED AMERICAN AUTHORS

Visit To Timaru Interest In Local Industries

Mr Sydney Greenbie, Special Assistant to the United States Minister in New Zealand, and general representative of the United States Office of War Information in the Dominion, who arrived in Timaru from Christchurch yesterday, spent a busy afternoon visiting a number of local industries, concluding with an inspection of St. David’s Pioneer Memorial Church, Cave. Mr Greenbie, accompanied by Mrs Greenbie, is on a motor tour of the South Island, and is visiting New Zealand fox- the second time in 28 years. As a young man he spent a year in the Dominion studying its social conditions. In his official capacity he has a broad and free assignment. He is renewing his studies of social conditions in New Zealand, and is making America and its way of life better known to New Zealanders. He is here to lecture, broadcast and write about America.

Mr Greenbie’s qualifications for the assignment are many and varied. After living for years at a time in Japan and other countries in the Pacific, he has travelled extensively all over Asia, Europe and South America. Some of the results of his experiences have been incorporated in his 20 odd books. Among the most prominent of these are “Asia Unbound,” “Gold of Ophir,” “Japan—Real and Imaginary,” "Leisure for Living” and a series of eight books, beautifully illustrated, on LatinAmerica called “The Good Neighbour” series which are used all over the United States in the high schools. Mr Greenbie has lectured for 20 years in every part of America. He was president of the Floating University, a travel university taking students around the world, and was a forum lecturer under the United States Office of Education.

Before arriving in Timaru. Mr and Mrs Greenbie paid a visit of inspection to the linen flax factory and the byproducts factory and research laboratory at Washdyke. After lunch at the Grosvenor, Mr and Mrs Greenbie were welcomed by the Mayor (Mr A. E. S. Hanan) and Mrs Hanan. Mr Greenbie then visited the Timaru Milling Co., Ltd., where he inspected both the flour mill and the macaroni factory, the flour mill and biscuit factory of J. R. Bruce, Ltd., and the Timaru Potteries Ltd. He showed great interest in the various processes and asked numerous questions. A visit was then paid to the Timaru Gardens and to the Pioneer Memorial Church, returning to town via Centennial Park. Mr Greenbie expressed pleasure at the unique nature of the church. Accompanied by Mrs Greenbie, Mr Greenbie paid a visit to the Timaru Public Library, where they were welcomed by the librarian, Miss A. K. Elliot.

Accompanied by the Mayoress, Mrs Greenbie was the guest-speaker at a meeting of representatives of the Women’s Institutes of the Timaru district. A visit was paid to the Institute depot in Caln Street. Mr and Mrs Greenbie will leave this morning for Gore.