NEWS FROM CANADA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 285, 19 March 1941, Page 5

NEWS FROM CANADA

LOCAL AIRMAN'S LETTER . NEW ZEA LA N DER S VERY POPULAR Writing from Montreal to Ms people in this district L.A.C. Glen Burt, of the R.N.Z.A.F., gives some interesting information about the life of the New Zealander ixt Canada. Following are some extracts from his letter :— "Montreal is some town, the mainj street being about 12 miles long: and the population one and a half millions," he writes adding that the: New Zealand airmen are billeted ini the heart of the city. "The prices*, of things arc not as cheap here as I thought they would be," he continues, "and there is not much difference from New Zealand prices. "We marched into Vancouver to» the din of motor horns and cheering and altogether it was a great* welcome considering the cold weather which was about zero. From: there we left on our five days and! four nights train journey across Canada which was a great experience, sometimes the temperature being 40 below zero with snow everywhere. Every now and again tlie train would have to be stopped so that the track could be cleared. Wo stopped at a number of big places such as Winnipeg. The meals on the train were not bad but at the stations they ate fairly plain.

New Zealanders a Novelty. "lis great fun walking down thet streets here as one hears "Look,. New Zealanders" because we are a sort of novelty here and as avc were the first ones to be issued with N.Zshoulder monograms it will even get one all the beer and meals want. (I might try it later on) .... We were a bit unlucky yesterday as while we were being given; our winter equipment the Aussies were taken to the mountains tobogganing ancl they say they had a. great time doing 60 m.p.li. We are quite closs to the Lawrence River which is frozen at present and the snow on the banks is about two feet deep. ". . . . We went tip to watch some skiing and Ave had great fun. People took our photos and with the signing of autographs we feltjust like strange exhibits at the 7.00 .... I heard a questionnaire in progress liei*e the other day and a questions was what was the capital of Australia. The reply was given as New Zealand and the announcer said. 'You are wrong—it is Auckland.' " Continuing to make many references to the kindnesses done to> New Zealanders by the Canadian people L.A.C. Burt states that his training in Canada is to occupy eight months so that he will know the country fairly well before he leaves for the main theatre of the war.