IN AUSTRALIA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 209, 4 September 1943, Page 5

IN AUSTRALIA

“FIRST LADY” OF U.S.A. MRS. ROOSEVELT ARRIVES AT CANBERRA <By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) Recd. 10 p.m. Sydney, Sept. 3. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt arrived at Canberra this afternoon after a sixhour flight from New Zealand in a multi-engined.’ bomber of the United States Army Air Force. She was greeted officially at an aerodrome near Canberra by the GovernorGeneral, Lord Gowrie, and Lady Gowrie, and the Prime Minister, Mr. J. Curtin. Mrs. Roosevelt was driven to Parliament House amid scenes of excitement and enthusiasm rarely witnessed in the capital. Canberra has paid tribute to many notables in its day. but never before to the “First Lady” of any country, and to-day it opened its arms in traditional manner. Mrs. Roosevelt's plane landed at an aerodrome at Sydney before proceeding to Canberra. FAREWELL TO N.Z. SCENE AT AUCKLAND AIR STATION (P.A.) . Auckland. Sept. 3. Precisely at the appointed time of 9 o’clock Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt left Auckland this morning: for Australia, so ending' a week’s visit to New Zealand in which every waking hour was crammed with inspections and receptions. Notwithstanding the fatiguing nature of her brief tour, Mrs. Roosevelt looked as fresh as she had on her arrival and was as full as ever of charm and gentleness which enraptured every New Zealander who was privileged to meet her. Characteristic of Mrs. Roosevelt was the point she made of thanking all those who had accompanied and served her during her visit. “I am afraid I have been an awful trouble to you all,” she said to the detectives, drivers and officials who had been with her, and she gladly consented to nosing for a photograph with the detectives.

Mrs. Roosevelt left the city punctually at 8 o’clock from the United States naval officers’ mess where she had been staying. After saying “goodbye” to and thanking members of the mess who were in the vestibule, she signed some last-minute autographs, came outside, waved a hand, said “good-bye” to the small crowd which had collected, and entered her car.

At the air station, at whose entrance she received a salute from the guard of honour of young Maoris, Mrs. Roosevelt was driven immediately to her waiting aircraft. Here Mrs. Roosevelt was received by the Governor-General, who had preceded her tq the station. She thanked him for his kindness and hospitality to her, chatted with him for a few minutes. and then shook hands and said “good-bye” to all those who had gone to see her safely away. Meanwhile her luggage, including numerous gifts which she had received in New Zealand, was stowed away into the big machine. Mrs. Roosevelt had a special word for Mrs. Peter Fraser, through whom she thanked all New Zealand women who, she said, had helped, to make her stay so delightful. She was also farewelled by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, the Minister in Charge of War Co-ordination, the Hon. W. Perry. Ihe Mayor and the Mayoress, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Allum. Major - General Bell. Commodore Dowding, D.S.C., Air Commodore Buckley, and a number of other officers. Americans who were there to see her off included Mr. R. E. Cox, Charge d’Affaires and acting Minister at the United States Legation, Colonel Nankivell, military attache at the Legation. Mr. Hiram A. Boucher, Consul at Auckland, Cantain Jupp, senior American naval officer in NewZealand, Colonel Boyers, commanding officer of the United States Army Forces in New Zealand, and Lieut.Commander Brooks Gifford, naval operating base public relations office. Mrs. Roosevelt did not make any farewell speech before she left, but to a number of those with whom she shook hands she said, she had thoroughly enjoyed her visit and was very glad she had come A few minutes before 9 o’clock Mrs. Roosevelt climbed into the plane. She carried with her a posy of freesias presented to her by a small girt, and was still screwing on the cap of her fountain-pen after giving her last New Zealand autographs to two boys. Mrs. Roosevelt stood for a moment in the doorway of the aircraft and waved a smiling “good-bye” to her cheering well-wishers. She then entered the body of the aircraft and was presently seen seated alongside w of the windows. From here she continued at intervals to wave and smile to the crowd of Americans and New Zealanders outside. Attending Mrs. Roosevelt was the same staff which arrived with her. They were Lieut.-Commander Douglas Moulton, representing Admiral Halsey, Major George Durno, Air Transport Command public relations officer, and Miss Marie Ryan, supervisor of the American Red Cross in the South Pacific area. Miss Ryan caused Mrs. Roosevelt and the crowd to laugh when she simulated her grief at leaving New Zealand by nretending sobbing into a handkerchief. Presently the great plane’s four engines came into roaring life. The aircraft moved slowly *on to the runway, rolled to the far end, turned into the wind, rushed forward with increasing speed, lifted and was away. It circled the air station once and

then, steadily gaining height, pointed its nose toward Australia and auickly disappeared from sight into a cloud as long and as white as the one from which the Maoris gave New Zealand their name of Aotea-Roa. It had been drizzling with rain when Mrs Roosevelt entered the plane, but as the machine climbdd into its cloud the sun chased the rain away and prom sed fair weather for the crossing of the Tasman.