NO PASSPORTS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20086, 4 November 1939, Page 6

NO PASSPORTS

| BAN ON WAR ZONE AMERICAN DECISION ATTITUDE TO FIGHTING MISS DE COSTA’S TRIP | “Americans are being refused passports for all countries in and near the | war zone unless they have some very I special reason for making the trip,” [said Miss Peggy DeCosta, in an interj view to-day.

Miss Dc Costa, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. H. De Costa, Clifford street, returned to Gisborne last night after a six-month holiday and business visit to the United States. During that time the visitor made a 10,000mile tour of the United States and was amazed at the hospitality showered upon her in all. quarters. Speaking of the effect of the outbreak of war on the American people, Miss DeCosta said that she was in St. Paul at the time. The impression she gained was that the people did not want to be drawn into the war, and there was a great deal of ( alk on the Arms Embargo Bill, which has since been repealed. Some expressed the opinion that they did not want war, but others said that if America did link up with tile Allies it would not be for six months or a year. Soon after the announcement that England was at war with Germany a great number of young men went up into Canada to enlist, but they were sent back home. Many Returning Travellers On hbr trip out to New Zealand Miss De Costa travelled on the Mariposa, which was carrying a record number of passengers, and .shakedowns had to be provided in the public rooms to accommodate the overflow. Many of the passengers had been in England, or in other countries near the war zone, when war was declared and had made their way across Canada or America to connect with the boat. There were very few Americans travelling and practically all the passengers were Australians and New Zealanders anxious to return home.

In some cases there were residents of India and Java who had altered their plans, and were taxing me longer trip to avoid the necessity of travelling by the normal route through the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Impressed by Hospitality The greatest impression was made on Miss Dc Costa by the hospitality extended to her by American citizens m all States. She was present at a 10-day conference conducted by tiro Florists’ Telegraph Delivery Association. of which Miss De Costa was tiro representative in Gisborne. At that conference in St. Paul there was an attendance of 35(10 and tiro Gisborne visitor, the only foreigner, as she was termed, was given a wonderful reception. All other members ol the conference were visiting St. Paul from either Canada or the United States. At tire conference dinner Miss De Costa was placed at the head table and introduced to the gathering a. being from New Zealand. When people learned that she had travelled so far to be able to visit their country they said they felt it was their duty to show her about their cities so that her journey would have been worth while. The visitor had explained to some that she was a complete stranger and that she was amazed at their hospitality. She was always provided with the explanation that she was a visitor from distant parts and they could not do enough for her. In connection with the conference there was a trade lair that occupied three floors of an hotel. In one section there were eight artists demonstrating the work on a stage, and explaining difficult pieces that were new To the trade. The visitor also attended a school for florists conducted in conjunction with the gathering. New York and San Francisco Fairs While in America Miss De Costa visited the World Fair in New York and also the fair in San Francisco. In the one in San Francisco the Gisborne visitor was ashamed at the appearance of the New Zealand court and said that the Australian one was little better compared with the courts that were representing other and much smaller countries. At the World Fair New Zealand was better represented. She was able to include in her sightseeing visits to three movie studios, United Artists. Fox Movietone, and Warner Brothers. The arrangements for iter to view the Fox studio were made by a former Gisborne resident, Mr. Hector Dods.

Giving an instance of some of the floral work done in America, Miss De Costa explained the floral blanket) that had been made in New York for the coffin of a steel magnate. The blanket was made from 500 orchids and 3000 lily-of-the-vallev, and had cost 1500 dollars.