AIRMEN IN CANADA

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 230, 27 June 1944, Page 4

AIRMEN IN CANADA

Popular New Zealanders The hospitality of Canadian people to the New Zealand airmen attending the air training centres in Canada was referred to yesterday by the New Zealand High Commissioner to Canada, Hon. D. Wilson, who recently returned from Ottawa because of the serious illness of bis wife in Wellington. Mr. Wilson was six weeks in Canada, and one of the first things he did after presenting his credentials in Ottawa was to make a tour across Canada from Ottawa to Victoria in British Columbia and back again, visiting all the air training centres where there were’ New Zealanders. “The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan,” said Mr. Wilson, “has been so successful and the casualties in Europe having been less than expected they are now slowing down the training a bit —the duration of the courses is being extended because they have a pool in reserve.' I saw at least 1000 New Zealanders at the training centres and spoke to them individually as well as collectively, and I would like the people of New Zealand, particularly the parents, to accept my word for it that these boys are being particularly well looked after. Everywhere I went I was told by Service welfare personnel that the difficulty in regal’d to New Zealanders was not to find people to extend hospitality to them, but to find sufficient New Zealanders to meet all the invitations,” Mr. Wilson met a number of Canadian girls who had married New Zealand airmen. One afternoon in Winnipeg he entertained the members of a club comprising the wives of New Zealand airmen, the club having been formed at the suggestion of New Zealand’s Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones. Over 50 were present, and they included about 20 who had come from other parts and were going to New Zealand. In Calgary he. met 15 more New Zealand airmen’s wives. All told, there were about 180 Canadian wives of New Zealanders, and most of their husbands were engaged in the air assaults on Europe. . Mr. Wilson met Mr. Mackenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada, two days before he was due to leave for the Empire Prime Ministers’ Coufereuce in London. “I found him a most charming man.’ said Mr. Wilson. “An interview of 15 minutes was arranged, but the interview lasted for over one and a half hours, because Mr. King was so interested in New Zealand. I found him extremely well disposed toward this country.” Mr. Wilson said that Mrs. Wilson was making some progress and. he hoped that circumstances would permit of his return to Canada, because he was very keen to go back.