LORD ALLENBY IN CHRISTCHURCH

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17758, 30 January 1926, Page 1

LORD ALLENBY IN CHRISTCHURCH

HONOURED TO BE CALLED ** NEW ZEALAND DIGGER.”

f “Yesterday I was entertained by the Returned Soldiers’ Association, ■when I had the honour of being described as a New Zealand Digger, which was a source of great pride l to me. I was presented with the [ association’s badge in gold, which l is one of the few honours that I 1 am very proud to hold.”

These words were spoken by FieldLord Allenby as he travelled .to Christchurch this morning in a special Government carriage on the boat train. The first glimpse that the small group of spectators who were assembled on the wharf had of the distinguished soldier was when he appeared on the promenade deck prior to leaving the Wahine. He spoke a word of farewell to Captain Cameron, of the [Wahine, and then went below, to appear a few minutes later at the gang-

way. On the trip from Wellington Lord end Lady Allenby were accompanied by the Hon Sir Heaton Rhodes and Colonel J. H. White, D.S.O , of the Central Command, who is acting as aide-de-camp to Lord Allenby during his tour of New Zealand. On the wharf the rty were joined by Major-General Young, G.O.C. New Zealand Forces, 3*rho was a passenger by the ferry. A trifle under six feet in height, and idressed in a tweed suit. Lord Allenby gave the impression of one having a tremendous personality. His deep-blue eyes are remarkably clear, and his face, ■Although tanned by exposure to the sun and air. bears few traces of the strain of the campaign in Palestine. Signs of grey are showing in his hair ■■end in his moustache, but he still looks to be a man in the prime of life. He ,is thinner than when he was on serjvice with the New Zealand troops, but •“Tjeyond a fleeting impression of tiredness he appears to be very lit. t “I have only been a short time in the but I have enjoyed every llpioment of it,” he said to a “Star ’ re porter who met him as he came off the poat. “I have not had an opportunity pf going into the country, but I hope to see some of the interior of the South {lsland during the next week. I have •pnly touched at Auckland and Wellington, and have seen very little of ,the country in between. I was mo--tored around Wellington, and I was ■tetruck with the beauty of the country. 3ut I have not been here long enough "tto sav anything about it.”

j “I have met a good many of my ex- ' Mervice friends and it has been pleasing to renew acquaintanceships. I have [been hospitably entertained by them And everyone. I have met a great •many prominent people already dur,ing the short time that I have been in i 'jfche Dominion.” | Lord Allenby expressed a desire to t kee as many of those who served under bim in Palestine as possible during his • jfctay in New Zealand. On- the arrival of the train in Christchurch Lord Allenby was met by Lady Rhodes, who spent some time with {Lady Allenby, and Colonel CommandAnt Gard’ner, O.C. Southern Command, Colonel Hurst, and Major Murchison, •who served under Lord Allenby in Palestine. and Major S. P. C. Nicholls, of the New Zealand Staff Corps. Arrangements were made for Lord Allenby s stay in Christchurch. The itinerary agreed upon is as follows: Saturday. February 6—Arrives in Christchurch by the 5.8 p.m. express. £tays at Warner s Hotel. Sunday, February 7—Motor trip to £sake Coleridge. Monday, February B—Motor trip Around the hills. Morning tea at the Kiwi. Civic reception. Lunch at the Officers Club. Motor trip in the afternoon. Leaves by Maori in the evening Lord and Lady Allenby and Colonel White went south on the first express, and will stay in Dunedin for a few clays. They travelled in the vice-regal car on the express. During Lord Allenby's stay at the Christchurch railway platform, Mr H. Fleck, vice-president of the R.S.A., and Wr A. F. Graham, secretary, met Lord Allenby, who promised to meet the members of the association at the club rooms at 5 p.m. on Monday, February 8. He also promised to visit the soldiers at the Rannerdale Home and at the Cashmere Sanatorium. The visit to the sanatorium will probably take place on Monday morning and the visit to Rannerdale on Monday afternoon.