BRITISH COMMANDER IN JAPAN ARRIVES AT OHAKEA AIR STATION

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 January 1948, Page 5

BRITISH COMMANDER IN JAPAN ARRIVES AT OHAKEA AIR STATION

(P.A.) Wellington, Jan. 29 The future of the New Zealand force in Japan is to be discussed with the Government by the Commander-in-Chief of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in that country, Lieutenant-General H. C. H. Robertson, C.8.E., D. 5.0., who arrived in New Zealand this evening after crossing from Australia by air. Lieutenant-General Robertson, who will be a guest at Government House for two days, will have discussions next week with the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser), the Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones) and the Chiefs of Staff of the armed forces. Travelling in a Royal Australian Air Force Liberator aircraft, Lieuten-ant-General Robertson left Laverton Aerodrome, Melbourne, at 9.30 a.m. New Zealand time and arrived at Ohakea at 4.45 p.m. He was met by the Chief of the General Staff (MajorGeneral N. W. McD. Weir), the Chief of the Air*Staff (Air Vice-Marshall A. de T. Nevill) and Mr. D. Beresford, of the Department of Internal Affairs. A Guard of Honour provided by station personnel was inspected by General Robertson, who came on to Wellington from Ohakea by car, arriving in the city just before 8 p.m. He proceeded direct to Government House. He will probably be in New Zealand for about a month, taking some holiday leave after fits discussions with the Government and the service chiefs, tor which purpose, he may be in Wellington for a week. General Robertson, who left Bofu, Japan, by air on January 10, is visiting New Zealand at the invitation of the Prime Minister. He is accompanied by Colonel G. Jenkikns, Director of Public Relations, British Commonwealth Occupation Force, and Captain W. Simpson, A.D.C. The New Zealand military liaison officer in Melbourne, Colonel Duft, also travelled with the party. Colonel Jenkins and Captain Simpson are both New Zealanders. Captain Simpson is a member of the New Zealand force in Japan and Colonel Jenkins, who was born in Hastings and left New Zealand in 1933, is now a member of the British Army. He has also served with the Australian and Indian Armies. His mother lives in Wellington.