A TOUR OF THE EMPIRE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19148, 3 November 1927, Page 2

A TOUR OF THE EMPIRE.

M.P.'S HONEYMOON. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS AT AUCKLAND. [THE TKEBS Special Serrlce.] AUCKLAND, November 2. A practical honeymoon tour embracing as many parts of the British Empire as. possible—that is how Captain Alec Cunningham Reid, M.P., D.F.C, and Mrs Cunningham Reid describe their world tour. They arrived in Auckland last evening from th© islands by the Tofua and will see as much of New Zealand as possible before leaving for Australia and other parts of the Empire ou their way home. Captain Cunningham Reid and his wife are two very distinguished people. Thev were married on May 12th, at St. Margaret's, Westminister, London, and mounted police were called in to keep back the crowds. Mrs Cunningham Reid was Miss Mary Ashley, daughter of Colonel Wilfred Ashley, Minister for Transport, and sister of Lady Louis Mountbatten. She inherited from her grandfather, Sir Ernest Cassel, part of his fortune of £6,000,000. Captain Cunningham Reid has represented Warrington. Lancashire, in Parliament since 1922. He was defeated in 1923, but regained the seat in 1924, when he defeated a Labour candidate. He was Parliamentary Private Secretary to Colonel Ashley in 1924, and before that he was private secretary to Sir John Baird.

Captain Cunningham Reid had a distinguished war record. He saw service in France with the Royal Engineers, and later with the Flying Corps, He has a record of bringing down ten enemy 'planes, for which he was awarded the •D.F.C, and was mentioned in dispatfches.

"Personally, I have been trying-to get to New Zealand for the last five years,'' said Captain Cunningham Reid. "I was actually one of the members nominated to come out with the British Parliamentary Delegation, but stress of business prevented my coming. Three-quarters of the time wo are spending in New Zealand and Australia will be devoted to New Zealand, because I think it is the more interesting country. Ido believe very strongly that the younger members of the House of Commons and of the New Zealand Parliament should visit each other. Untjl they do we cannot be in complete sympathy with eaoh ■ and understand each other's problems." ~Canta : 'i and Mrs Cunningham Reid left England on June 29th, soon after their w elding They have already visited Onnada. America, Tonga, Fiji, and Samoa. For the last month they have been in the iSouth Seas, and both are enthusiastic about its loveliness.

MUSICAL SOCIETY'S SOCIAL. The Hovel Christchurch Musical Society held its third and final social of the season at. Dixieland on Tuesday night. That interest in the society's welfare has not waned was evidenced by the large attendance. The arrangements were in the hands of a committee consisting of Madame Cower Burns, Mrs S. Parr, Miss Free-man-Brown, Messrs Vernon Griffiths, P. H. Venables, and G. M. Fawcett, whose able efforts, were appreciated by those present. _ Masses of bloom with rose-shaded lights gave the rooms a most pleasing appearance, while g&illardias wore used for table decorations.

The following- excellent musical programme was given in the ea.rly part of the.evening:—Piano duet, Mrs Russell and Mr Vernon Griffiths; song, Mr Atmore; 'cello solo, Miss Phyllis Porter; song, Mrs Davies; vocal duet, Mrs J. Henry and Mr G. M. Fawcett: flute solo, Mr Crowe; song, Mrs Litchfield; quartette, Mesdames Stapp and Parr and Messrs Walker arid Fawcett;^

The remainder of the evening was devoted to dancing and bridge. . Amongst those present were: Mr and Mrs Andrews, Mr.and ; Mrs Adkins, Madame Gower Burns, Mesdames J. K Russell, Stephen Parr, Vernon Stapp, P. G. Smith, Godfrey Neuth, Ockenden, M. MaeGeorge, S. Hewson, C. H. bmirh. Read, Harper, Watts-Ryan - G. W. Williams (Wellington), Mrs J. Hopkins (Palmerston North), A. Gapes A. C. Kain, Benham, F. P. Owers e' R Davies, Litchfield, J. A. Trerise' H. ll*. Clifford, J. Henry, Trethewey,, H: Gunner; Misses Freeman-Brown, J, Pavitt, Millicent Jennings, Ivy Heron, Lovoll ™ * fc , h ' Woods, Hill, Marshall, E. Mac George, E. Sinclair, A. E. Bell P. Matterson, J). M. Smith, I. E; Wilson. N. Airs, M. Hetrick, E. Collett, E. Read I. Harris, R. Pullar, N. Ellis, A. Read, Thyra Williams (Wellington), ■p- Ellis, E. Till, H. Prestidge, V. Smith, A. Partridge, . Bessie Pollard, A Lanham, p. Porter. Chapman, R. Elhs, N. Munnings, E. D. Williamson. O. Vincent, S. Wise, D. Vincent, E. H. Heataey. B. Leslie, Joan Wilson, P. Ewmg,, C. O'Reilly, Barter (2), A. Hubert, E. Airs. M. Richardson, M. Wilson Kennard (.3), E. Wilkie. M. Shaw, G Muscroft,. N. Dickson, O. Taylor, G. Smith, Violet Ray, Muff; Messrs Vernon Griffiths, Venablee Q. M. Fawcett Walker, Crowe, Woods, Perryman Ballinger, Ockenden, Ueorge Beaumont, Robins. C" H. Hartman, Boot, Readinc, Davies. France, Mollinson, Greer, Stapp, N.col, Pantt, Owers, Kain, Armstrong &"% f ndrews > Willyamf Jack Robinson, . Trerise, Anderson Ewmg. Chadwick, Bowes Allen Le levre. Burns, Corhett, Wlitmore Trethewe.v, Dravton. • Gunner wJj? Hough, O'MalleV, BorthS,' C ?rt£ and Larcombe, '

SOCIAL EVENING. A successful euchre party and dance, m a!d of Mrs T. H. Piper's sta „ at forthcoming garden fete at St Peter's was held in the Beckenhara Hall on Saturday. Much appreciated items were grrcn by Mrs T. H. Piper, Mrs fcollet, and Mr R. Trewern. Iho committee included: Mrs T H. n.'Pt r ' uv rs £^ er . Heath, Mrs 0 Laughhn, Misses A. O'Connor, J. Garland, L p u llen, R. Williams, E. 0 " 1 "-...* 1 - Peplar, K. Cronin/M. O'Laughlin, Messrs Swanston, Galium, li-. Good, and O'Toole. Among those present were: Mesdames stokes, Kneale, Shier, H Coburn, SoHet, Reynolds, Glassenberrv, Green, Barrett, Robinson, O'Toole Misses Roberts, Reed, E Walker g' Stevenson, Flannery, D, Reynolds! Donohue O'Toole. M. Butler, G. Rofe. E Murtha, D. Swanston, Harrison. Markum, Greenfield. Rogers 4 Whole, V„ Brightmor"; C. WcConnell Fahey, O'Connor, E. Martin, N. Kelly McGuire. Messrs T. H. Piper, Shier, Sol Jet, G. Willcox L. TVendelken X. Bettridge. McDonald, LeFevre,. R. Trewern, Kneale, E. Jackson Dwyer Barrett, P. Amodeo, Manks, Bilhngs, N. Hill, and Heatlev!

Since, the death of Queen Alexandra, her sister, the ex-Empress of Russia and mother of the late Tsar Nicholas, has been living quietly in Denmark-among her nephews and.nieces. She is nearly 80 years of age, and her health - has been giving some cause for anxiety. The exEmpress was in Russia at the time of the Revolution in 1917, and the strain involved has never been fully overcome. She ia an aunt of King George,