OAK SHIELD FOR ASHBURTON.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19156, 12 November 1927, Page 6

OAK SHIELD FOR ASHBURTON.

..—* FROM NAMESAKE IN DEVON. (FROM OCR OWK COREESFOHDBMT.) LONDON, October 4. Major S. E. Harvey, M.P., is to present an oak shield bearing the arms of Ashburton, Devon, to the town of Ashburton, New Zealand. The shield has been on view at Ashburton, but it has now been shipped to New Zeaand in time to meet Mr L. S. Amery (the Secretary for the Dominions), who is to hand over the shield personally when he visits Ashburton.

Mr Amery, who is a member of a Devonshire family, will give an account of the history and customs of Ashburton and the officials who aro still appointed in accordance with ancient practices. In a letter to Mr Tucker, of Ashburton, Major Harvey says he is keenly interested in knitting more closely the bonds which keep the Empire together, and he felt that the opportunity of the visit _of the Secretary of State for the Dominions and Colonies to New Zea-

land was opportune. Major Hanvey mentioned that a similar presentation had been made by Sir Harry Brittain, M.P., from Acton, England, to Acton, Ontario. The townspeople of the Ontario Acton were extremely pleased with the gift, and recently made a return gift to Acton, England, which, had not only been, much appreciated, but had been very effective in forging a further link between Canada and this country. This will not be the first interchange of compliments between the two Ashburtons. An interchange took place between the Masonic lodges of the two towns some years ago, and since then a flag bearing the Ashburton coat-of-arms was sent to a school in Ashlmrton, New Zealand, from the local Grammar School.