MRS FORBES

Hokitika Guardian, 21 January 1931, Page 3

MRS FORBES

RECOUNTS HER EXPERIENCES.

HER PLEASANT RECOLLECTIONS.

(Per Favour of Government.)

WELLINGTON, January 20.

“It has been a wonderful experience,” said Airs Forbes, when interviewed on her arrival this morning. “And 1 have enjoyed every minute of it, but I am delighted to he hack again among my own folk. An absence such as this, makes one realise the truth ol the old, saying ‘there’s no place like home.’ ”

Right throughout our trip w’6 have met with every kindness and hospitality. Beginning in Canada we w r ere taken on the Canadian National Railways through the heautilul Rockies and the fertile prairie lands. Passing through these wide plains one oculd not but be struck with the similarity of the life of the farmer’s wife in Canada and New Zealand.

Canada, of course, is a land of much greater spaces, and the eountiy women must necessarily be more isolated than in New Zealand, but they have the same necessity as we have to create their own atmosphere and their own homes for themselves and theft men folk.

At Ottawa, Miss Bennett the sistei of the Canadian Prime Minister took charge of us and our short stay in that beautiful city was a most delightful one. We were much struck with the size and bustle of New York, where again we received great kindness and courtesy.

From the time of our arrival in London we had never a still moment. It was a great pleasure and a great privilege to meet the public and representative men of the United Kingdom and their wives, and we were brought in touch also with the leading women in all walks of life.

The increasing share taken by women in public affairs was most noticeable.

My outstanding memory of the Old Country is the smiling beauty of tne countryside, which must, I think, bo unequalled in the world. What it must be in the spring I cannot imagine hut even whilst we were there which was not the best time of the year, its loveliness was beyond words. People were all so kind that we had ample opportunity of attending, not only public and official functions, but of visiting the beautiful country homes in their charming surroundings. It was a great pleasure to us also to see Lord Bledisloe’s home in Gloucester which we greatly admired. A large number of the women of England in common with their men folk, are passing through a very difficult time at present, and the conditions of some of them in the large cities where unemployment is severe, must be very trying indeed, and we cannot be too grateful that our own women who are not entirely free from difficulties at present, are in a much happier position.

Tlie more open spaces in New Zealand and the greater freedom are them selves a tremendous improvement on the lot of some of our sisters in the C7d Country.

I loved London and I was never tired of visiting its beauty spots and in its old, old buildings and places of historical interest one could, I thinfc, spend a lifetime in London without exhausting its charms.

Two things in particular stand out in my mind. The first "’as the, wonderful solemnity and dignity ol the. .Memorial Service at the Cenotaph in London on Armistice Day, and, secondly, the solemn beauty of the magnificent war memorial at Edinburgh which must, I think, he without a superior in the world. With -Mr Forbes 1 was able to visit

tlie war cemeteries in France and Belgium and 1 know it will he a comfort to those many women in New Zealand who have loved ones lying in those countries, to know that their resting places are kept with reverent care and are really bowers of beauty. Throughout our sea travels we were exceedingly fortunate in having calm seas and sunny skies, and these together with the friendly and congenial fellow passengers whom wo met, helped tremendously to make the trip in every way enjoyable.

“The whole experience has been most interesting and an education,” said Mrs Forbes, “but it is lovely to he home again.”