VICTORY PARADE AT CLOSE QUARTERS

Chronicle (Levin), 20 June 1946, Page 4

VICTORY PARADE AT CLOSE QUARTERS

- w * LONDON VISIT OF "CHRONICLE" MANAGING-DIRECTOR MET MR. CHURCHILL "Time simply goes like lightning in the amazing whirl of. events," wi-ites Mr. R. H. Billens, 'managingdirector of "The Chronicle," in an air-mail letter from London where he is attending the Imperial Press Conference as leader of the New Zealand delegation. "It is "a case { of eat, work, be entertained and j sleep, and invitations are pouring i in," he states. "The week-end oi j June 8 was the crowning glory and t it would be hard to conceive of anything that could eclipse it — the I great parade and the visit as a | week-end guest to Hever Castle, the j country home of Colonel the Hon. j J. J. Astor and Lady Violet Astor. j The New Zealand press delegation i viewed the parade from the grassed terrace of the London home of the Astors, Carlton Ilouse/7 overlooking the Mall and quite elose to Admiralty Areh througix which the magniiicent procession swung into view in its endless stream of armed might. There were one or two showers and it was cold but that did not make any difi'er- j enee to a speetacle which was weli j worth the long joiirney to see. Carlton Ilouse is an historic spot and l full of amazing- valuables includirig j some of the most priceless gems ot'J British art. When he walked into the ; dining room and found himself face to J face with two Reynokls; two Hoppners, j a Raeburn, a Hobbema, and in the liall j a lovely Canaletto, he just gasped, Mr. ! Billens writes. And they were there in! all the loveliness and freshness of the j colouring as thougli the paint had been j put on yesterday. News of Alan Love day "We left for Hever Castle for a run' of about 30 miles into Ivent, - ' the garden of England' at • about (5.15 1 p.m.," Mr. Billens adds, "In my car ! was a grandson of the Jate Bir Henry j Irving, the great Sliakespearean actor, 1 himself a leading light in the higher branehes of the movies -and theatres. We chummed np immediateiy, art being of course the common interest. On the -way out Lawrence Irving said, ' Do. ydu, know that New Zealand has produced a great genius'?' I could only think of the late Lord Rutherford but he said, 'New Zealand does not know him yet. ' Then he told me how he came' across Alan Loveday whom he says erities here placed among the lirst ten violinists of the day while some of them put him in the lirst live. When he learned that Alan came from Palmerston North he was quite excited. He said they were keeping Alan quiet at present and although his lirst publie appearance about a fortnight ago caused a sen nation, it was hardly notieed in the press. "However, I am getting' away from Hever which has -been the crowning glory of our experience. This 13th century castle, the loveliest of its kind in England, is simply indescribable. It is small from the outside but it has been added to eonsiderably by building at the back a long straggling line of old English villas, all connected by passages and halls into one complete whole, and designed to give the impression from the outside of a village trailing off behind the castle. Inside it is just a great storehouse of priceless historic relies and works of art. They are tended with lo^ing ?are by the Astors who are doing a great work in preserving this pearl of antiquity. At dinner I sat between Lawrence Irving and Barfington Ward, editor of the London Times, and had a great feast of .eonversation until 11.30 p.m. Met Winston Churchifl ''The highlight of the Sunday was a ; visit from Winston Churchill • who gol i a great reception. Everyone said he is | greatly improved in health .and h spolce for about a'quarter of an hour When next 1 write I rnust give yoi some impressions of Arthur J. Rank the picture king who has just bought 150 theatres in New Zealand." tSince last week-end the delegates have been journeying through England and fieotiand by speeial train which is their home for the time being. They then return to London for the conclusion of the conference and a visit lo Plymouth to present two tons of honey from the people- of New Plymouth. Then comes a visit to the invasion beaches of Normandy followed by "a tour of the Ruhr and Rhineland " and then on to Berlin. Tliey are also £eheduled to visit Denmark.