BRITISH CHILDREN

Evening Post, Volume c, Issue 82, 3 October 1940, Page 16

BRITISH CHILDREN

RIGHT HON. & MRS. FRASER

ENTERTAIN

FOSTER PARENTS AND OFFICIALS MEET

Scottish children and their official escorts were reunited yesterday afternoon at the reception, given by the Prime Minister and Mrs. Fraser for the many people and organisations connected with the advent of British children in New Zealand. After the formalities of being received and • in- ] troduced were over the pleasant old social room at Parliament House echoed with an unusual sound —that of children's excited voices, which rose crescendo against the deeper tones of the adults and the ebb and flow of music. Between bottles of "pop," ice cream, and party food, the small guests met the foster-parents of their fellowtravellers and members of the committees responsible for the ammgements made for their arrival. Miss Jean Johnston, of Glasgow, matron in charge, was seldom without a juvenile escort, and she and the other officials who made the hazardous journey with the children were [besieged throughout the-afternoon by I their erstwhile charges. Others among the guests who were greeted warmly were the captain, officers, and men of the ship's company, to whom Mrs. Fraser, in a brief speech, directed [special thanks for their part in bringjing the ship and its passengers to 'safety. The official escorts, she said, ihad done a wonderful work.in bringing the children out. Cheers from the 'children greeted this statement. The | foster-parents. Mrs. Fraser continued, would get their thanks in the happiness the children brought to them, and she was sure that when the children went back to Scotland after their great holiday in New Zealand it would only be to bring back their parents and all they loved to make their homes in the Dominion. "A GRAND COUNTRY." •i have often heard the expression 'Killed by kindness.' but have never experienced it before," Miss Johnston answered for the escorts. "New Zealand is a grand country• and we wish we were here for keeps." ■ The escorts had personally met the j guests after they had been received iby Mrs. Fraser at the entrance to the | big room with its gracious red. white. ! and blue floral decorations. Among | those present were Sir Harry and Lady [Batterbee, Cabinet Ministers and their wives, members of both Houses and their wives, Mrs. W. A. Riddell, members of the British Children's Reception Committee, the Wellington and Hutt committees responsible for the placing of the children, the Rev. Mr. Gardiner i and the matron of the Presbyterian ! Children's Home, the chairman and secretary of the Wellington Education Board, representatives of educational and local bodies, and of church organisations, principals of the gh-ls' colleges, representatives of Government Departments and shipping companies, members of the Scottish Club, and re-m-esentatives of the Wellington Travel Club. IMPROMPTU CONCERT. The children, by general request, gathered at one end of the room, and to Misp Johnston's accompaniment, sans, very lustily, old Scottish airs as well as modern tunes. A different version of the National Anthem, "God Bless Our Native Land." was sung with fervour. Miss B. M. Fieldintj. one of Ihe escorts, gave a solo, and Odette Malcolm, one of the young' travellers, also sang very clearly and sweetly Six-year-old Margaret Blanchard was stood on a table to complete the informal concert with a nursery rhyme Before the reception concluded the i boys and skirls of the party joined j hands with their escorts and some of the guests and sang "Avild Lang Syne" in voices enriched with warm Scots iaccents. Led by the Hon. R. Semplc. 1 they cheered Miss Johnston and the other escorts, and at the matron's behest cheered New Zealand, the Prime Minister and his wife, and their foster-parents.. In response to a request for a "whisper," they nearly lifted the roof with their concerted shouts. Misses M. L. Murray and M. G. D. Fraser were unable .to attend the gathering, but other official escorts present were Messrs. A. G. Guthrie. S. B Cassie. H Scott. A. D. Ferguson, and B- M. Fielding, and Mr. C. V. Campbell.