MARY WOODWARD, "MISS N.Z„" BACK HOME AGAIN

Wanganui Chronicle, 24 December 1949, Page 8

MARY WOODWARD, "MISS N.Z„" BACK HOME AGAIN

Would Like To See Britain Again, But M9re Leisurely

WELLINGTON. Last Night (PA). —Short-haired, long-tem-pered Mary Woodward—“ Miss New Zealand 1949”—arrived home in the Akaroa today (Friday), smiling and as pleasant as she has been through six exhausting months in Britain, reports the “Evening Post.” For all that time, however weary she felt, however much she had heard the same things said before, Miss Woodward has charmingly and freshly spoken for New Zealand wherever she has gone.

Hers was a taxing and perhaps sometimes tedious tour. Her first wish: to return to Britain. She wants to see the cathedrals in the cities where she saw only the Mayor’s reception. She wants to return to the glittering shops and shows of London. She wants to he back again in the crisp, clean air of Cornwall. But today she is hack with her mother and father, still partly the display model who is Miss New Zealand, but’ very much Mrs. Woodward’s little girl, uhfeignedly happy at seeing mum and dad again. ROYAL RECOLLECTION. On the ship's rail, realising she is back in simple Wellington afte months among the gay capitals and characters of Europe, her first per haps dutiful, recollection is of Queen Elizabeth. Mary has been in the public eye long enough now to know well the difference between her first thoughts and wha.l she ought to say. Of her Majesty the Queen, who, because a Buckingham Palace prtstntation could not be arranged, Miss Woodward met at a Victoria League reception: “She is so charming and dignified, and intensely interested in what people have to say.” Meeting her Majesty ranks as the most memorable event of Miss Woodward’s trip. Outstanding among the other celebrities she met she accounts Dame Helen Gwynne-Vaughan, with whom she stayed for much of her time in London, and Dame Catherine Trefusis Forbes, former commandant of the British waafs. Dame Gwynne-Vaughan started the women’s forces in Britain in the First World War, and is on the executive council of the Royal Am Force Association, which sponsored Miss Woodward in Britain. Next memory, watching Welling ton’s sunny hills, was of the Highland landholding of Sir Archibald Sinclair, near Thurso. Miss Woodward was the guest of Sir Archibald, a former Minister for Air. Young Miss Woodward returns to her somewhat staid native land more Press-wary than many older and, it might be thought, wiser travellers. HEART-WHOLE? “If you’re trying to get me to say how good Englishmen are to date—-m-m-m, nothing doing.” For the record: “Just say I got on well with them.” The unexpressed impression is that

Miss Woodward, should she never see another official reception, would have no sense of loss. ♦ Her English record day involved six speeches. Lunch and afternoon tea speeches at Exeter, a Mayoral recepI tion at Teignmouth, followed by a 1 hotel dinner (speech), a presentation i of prizes on the pier (speech), a call | on a ship in the stream (speech), and j a ball in honour of Miss New Zealand I (speech). . Whether it was the same speech every time the reporter was too I chivalrous to ask, Miss Woodward too worldly-wise to volunteer. Among the British folk she met, New Zealand was known chiefly for her servicemen, who had seemingly spread a nostalgic legend that the country enjoyed semi-tropical climate the year round. Taranakian Mary Woodward spread a rain-sedden contradiction. Another strange belief she encountered was that New Zealand was populated entirely by Maoris. Her disappointment in England: The railways, with perhaps reference to the dining car meals. How this could disappoint a toughened Paekakariki scrambler. Miss New Zealand did not elucidate. OTHER MEMORIES. Other lingering ipemories: Former Lord Mayor of London (Sir George Aylwen). Lord Bledisloe. Honor Earle, relative of Lord Maugham an<J Somerset Maugham, who did her portrait in oils. In England Miss Woodward put on some pounds, which she attributes to all the functions, and in the Akaroa she lost one skirt, which she does not attribute to anything. Next year, so far as she knows, involves a further burst of being Miss New Zealand, this time on her home heath, than perhaps a return to Auckland University to complete her B.A. degree, with emphasis on French and German. Then perhaps back to Britain and the Continent. Yesterday involved a morning recording at the 2YA studios, a Press conference yesterday afternoon, tea with the Prime Minister (Mr. Holland) after that then by car with her parents to New Plymouth, where there was a civic reception at 10 p.m. after the shops shut at 9.30. Happy parents Mr. W. H. Wood- ; ward, S.M., and Mrs. Woodward met i Mary on board ship. Said Mrs. WoodI ward: “We’re very happy to have her i back.” The magistrate smilingly, but proudly, reserved his decision.