LADY DUFF ARRIVES

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 21, 25 July 1945, Page 10

LADY DUFF ARRIVES

PRAISE OF WAR EFFORT

WOMEN OF DOMINIONS

Delight at being able to move straight into a comfortable home in charming surroundings at the end of their long sea journey was expressed by Sir Patrick Duff, successor to Sir Harry Batterbee as High Commissioner for the United Kingdom in New Zealand, and Lady Duff, when they arrived in Wellington yesterday. The house at 26 Orchard Street, Wadestown, has a delightful view and a garden. In Canada, where they have lived for the past four years, they were equally fortunate, and despite the housing problem, which is just as acute there, they found a home in one of Ottawa's park-like suburbs, Rockcliff Gardens.

In chatting, with a "Post" representative yesterday, Lady Duff was enthusiastic in her praise of the war effort of the women of Canada. "I think the war work done by the women of all the Dominions, so far away from the European theatre of war, is absolutely wonderful," she said.

POWER OF FELLOW FEELING

We could not comprehend what it meant to the British people to know the fellow feeling and sympathy of the Empire in the time of crisis, said Lady Duff. It had given the masses of the people—the busmen, shop people, and the man in the street, who hitherto had not thought beyond the confines of their own country, an Empire consciousness which she was sure would strengthen the peace ideal of the future.

"And then there are your servicemen who have made friends with English people in their homes. They have been particularly sweet to the English children and have taken along their New Zealand cakes and other good things from home to share with them."

The English people felt they had not been able to do enough for the men from overseas. "But when you have to exist on the bare necessities of life, there just isn't the food necessary for entertaining," said Lady Duff.

REMINDERS OF HOME.

Both Sir Patrick and Lady, Duff are keen gardeners and both are eager to see the New Zealand native bush and birds. A veronica bush in flower near his home and purple mesembryanthemum in Wellington gardens reminded Sir Patrick of Cornwall, where also, he said, New Zealand flax grew.

Sir Patrick comes from Oxfordshire and Lady Duff before her marriage lived in Northumberland. Their home is in Sutton Courtenay, a charming little village in Berkshire which can boast two twelfth century houses and a small church of the same period. Sir Patrick and Lady Duff's cottage is seventeenth century and has a small orchard and gardens. During the war relatives of Lady Duff, who were "bombed out," have been living in the cottage. "Two babies have been born there during recent years," said Sir Patrick, "so the cottage is still taking its part in the scheme •of things."

Sir Patrick and Lady Duff spent YE Day in London and later were present when New Zealand prisoners of war were flown to. England from Germany.

"At the time of the German surrender," said Sir Patrick with a reminiscent twinkle, "I was sitting on Major-General Kippenberger's bed listening to Mr. Churchill broadcasting the good news and with the Scots Guards playing the 'Cease Fire' outside. I couldn't have been in a better spot." In Ottawa Sir Patrick and Lady Duff saw a good deal of Mr. R. M. Firth, Acting High Commissioner for New Zealand, and Mrs. Firth, who used to work with Lady Duff at the Canadian Red Cross Corps. Group Captain and [Mrs, "Tiny" White were other New Zealand friends, and also Air Vice Marshal and Mrs. Isitt. <