MR. NASH RETURNS FROM ARDUOUS TRIP OVERSEAS

Grey River Argus, 2 April 1948, Page 4

MR. NASH RETURNS FROM ARDUOUS TRIP OVERSEAS

P.A. WELLINGTON, April 1. Rt. Hon. W. Nash, Minister of Finance, returned to-day to New Zealand. He arrived at Paraparaumu in the late afternoon, by special aircraft from Whenuapai, where he had earlier landed, and he proceeded from the airport by car direct to his home in Lower Hutt. He was met at the airport by Mrs Nash and by his son, Mr J. A. D. Nash; also the Minister of Supply, Hon. A. H. Nordmever, who administered Mr Nash’s major portfolios during his absence from New Zealand; the Minister of Agriculture, Pion. E. G. Cullen; the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Finance, Mr H. E. Combs; and the Parliamentary Under-Secre-tary to the Minister of Works, Mr D. W.~ Coleman, M.F. Soon after his arrival, Mr Nash had a ’brief talk with the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. P. Fraser. P.A. AUCKLAND, April 1 . The Minister of Finance, the Rt.Hon. Walter Nash, was the first passengei’ ashore from the Pan-America'n Airways Clipper Oriental at Whenuapai this afternoon. The Minister looked rather tired, but said that he had never been better, and was glad to be home again alter a long journey. m the brief half-hour available before leaving for Paraparaumu, by air, he gave a press interview, was photographed several times, had a cup of tea, accepted two long-distance telephone calls, and shook hands with a little boy who happened to be passing. Mr Nash said it had been a most arduous conference at Havana. It had lasted four months and three days, and had been “tough on everybody.” “I appreciate the amazing work done by members of the staff who were with me,” the Minister continued. ‘“They have worked very hard, including Saturdays, and Sundays, with scheduled meetings six days a week and three times a day. Indeed, they were out of Havana only on three occasions

“There were 800 meetings at the conference, extending over 300 hours, with 2500 different documents to read. The actual number of foolscap stencilled sheets amounted to over 10,000,000,” h.e added. Mr Nash, who was accompanied only by Mr G. J. Schmitt of the Treasury and Mr P. A. Barnes, his private secretary, was bareiy halt ar hour on me grounci at Whenuapai, and did not leave the air movements building. He spoke for a few minutes to Mrs Nash in Wellington, and was fully occupied while his luggage, including a bulky case of documents, was transferred from the big Skymaster to a Dominie of the Royal New Zealand Air Force that was waiting to take him south. The Skymaster had not been taken away to her parking area for the night by the time Mr Nash and his party were a’ooard the Dominie and airborne for Paraparaumu.