AMERICANS FAREWELLED

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 149, 27 June 1933, Page 9

AMERICANS FAREWELLED

ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION

Speaking at a £ arcweU, luncheon tendered by the English-speaking Union yesterday to "the retiring American Trade Commissioner; .(Mr. Julian B. Foster) and' Mrs. Foster, Mr. and Mrs. H. G. Miller, and Mrs. W. E. Lavelle, the chairman of the executive (Mr. A. Leigh Hunt) apologised for the absence of the. assistant .American Trade Commissioner (Mr. Eugene AVest) I and Mrs. West, -who were, unavoidably unable to be present. Mr. Hunt said that' the world was passing through momentous times, and he was'confident that the "World Economic Conference could not have been held, nor could it be a success, but for the fine co-operation of the United States and Great Britain. . The Conference would be sitting for some months, and it would have its ups and downs, and for that reason the public should not be too worried at some of the daily Press cables.. If it did nothing else, the Conference would result in Great Britain and America coming to a better understanding. "I wish to avail myself of this opportunity of tendering to the English- , speaking Union my sincere thanks and ! appreciation for the very gracious compliment you havo paid to some of our compatriots who will soon be leaving Wellington by giving this luncheon in their honour, and I gladly join with you in expressions of sincere regrets at their early1 departure from our midst,' said Mr. Calvin M. Hitch (the American Consul-General). "Let mo say at the outset that the closing of the American Trade Commissioner's office in Wellington was duo to no dissatisfaction on the part of the Government with the manner in which the affairs of the office had been conducted. On the contrary thero is ample evidence to support the conclusion that the American Government was abundantly satisfied with the results achieved by Mr. Foster and his assistants during the past five or sis years. Tho closing of the office was solely a matter of economy, as the American Government, in common with practically all the Governments in the world, has found it necessary in these times of depression to reduco ' expenditures wherever -possible. .It was felt by tho authorities at Washington that inasmuch as tho Uriited States was reprosented in New Zealand by tho Consulato General at Wellington, a Consulate at Auckland, and Consular agencies at Dunedin and Christchurch, tho commercial interests of the country would not suffer, for tho present at least, through the closing of the Trade Commissioner's office. FIONEEB CONSULAR SERVICE. "I hope I may be pardoned for stating in this connection that the American Government has apparently placed a higher estimate upon the commercial importance of New Zealand than any other Government, as it was the first and only Government to ostablish a consulate general in this country, it is the only foreign Government that has ever established a Trade Commissioner 's office in your midst, and it maintains in Now Zealand more consular offices than any, other foreign government. I may further stato that the American Government was the pioneer in establishing a consular office in New Zealand, as tho records in my office i show that in the year 1838, just ninety ' five years ago, and "before the first' white settlement had been established, in Wellington, an American Consulate | wag opened near ,the site of the present' town of Russell, in the Bay of Islands, I and since that date almost:uninterrupt-1 edly down to tho present time wo havo maintained offici.il relations with New Zealand, and I nm. happy to bo able to say that Hiere has never boon a break in the chain of friendship be-' tween our respective Governments. "Mr. Julian B. Poster was the first American Trade • Commissioner a P' pointed for New Zealand, and his official duties have been discharged so efficiently and' satisfactorily that he has'been retained in that position down to the present time, covering a period of more than six years. Mr. Foster has been more fortunate than most Americans, coming to these shores. When he arrived.about six.years ago he was a lonely bachelor, but when^ he leaves he will take with him a charming wife, who is a New Zealand girl, and two of the sweetest little daughters I. have ever known. -.. ; ~ "Mr. Eugene West; the Assistant Trade Commissioner, has been in Wellington for only about two years, but in that short time he has developed a large circle of acquaintance, and has established an enviable reputation for. himself wherever he is known."