PEOPLE AND PLACES

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 157, 29 March 1939, Page 4

PEOPLE AND PLACES

Vivid Descriptions By Travel Club Guests An appreciative audien&e at the Wellington Travel Club reception yesterday were entertained with some delightful “travelogue” descriptions of places abroad from the club’s guests of honour for the afternoon. The first speaker was Miss Bathie Stewart whose talk “From New York to San Francisco” was filled with an abundance of vivid local colour that made it doubly interesting. Referring to the New Zealanders one met in out of the way places in' the United States, Miss Stewart told of a meeting which a Dunedin man in Lexington, Kentucky, while lecturing to a women's club there. This man, the only male member of the audience said later that he had left New Zealand in 1908 and had not been back since. It transpired that he was also a relation of .Miss Stewart’s though neither knew this till they met that afternoon. Though in the Dominion for only 18 days, Miss Stewart said she had crowded much into what was really a “refresher course” before leaving for the States again to become the oflieial New Zealand representative in the World of Tomorrow Court at the New York World Fair. She gave a Maori greeting during her talk and concluded with the Maori farewell “Haere Ha.” Famous Personalities. In. the course of a "round the world” talk, Mr. E. R. Marie, Australia, introduced brief word sketches about famous people he had met. including the Duke of Connaught, Charles Chaplin, the late King of the Belgiums, the late King George, Queen Mary, Charles M. Schwob, great American industrialist and “Al” Smith, one time mayor of New York and Governor of that State. The Duke of Connaught, to whom be was presented as a boy at a Government House garden party in Canada, impressed him as being very democratic and with a decided sense of humour. King George and Queen Mary received 140 Australian boys who were in England with Mr. Marie in the course of an extended theatrical tour. The Royal pair were kindly and put everyone at ease, the Queen giving each boy a sprig of wattle and entertaining the whole party later at tea in the palace. A presentation to an executive member of the club, Mr. W. 11. Price, was made by the chairman, Mr. G. G. Stewart. Mi'. Price, who will leave shortly on an extended tour abroad, was the recepient of a set of brushes from club members. Captain Holm, a member of the executive wished him a pleasant voyage on behalf of those present.