Fills The Bill

NZ Truth, Issue 1151, 22 December 1927, Page 4

Fills The Bill

SOME people hold strong — and m many cases ethically sound — opinions about importations into New Zealand, whether they take the form of gaitered bishops from cloisters m rural England or humble artisans and captious cockneys from Bow Bells. But if, say, a bishop has no hand m importing himself other than to accept a pressing 1 invitation to a diocese — well, surely, the blame, if any, is at this end. However, no blame is being handed out m the case of imported Bishop Campbell West- Watson, Avho succeeded Archbishop Julius at Christshurch, for the simple reason that no grey duckling on the River Avon is more at home than His Lordship now is amongst his numerous flock! To see him diligently and cheerfully going: about his .business— driving his own motor-car along many a strange, twisting road m Canterbury-Westland — is rather to marvel that this sturdy churchman was able to tear up the roots — half a century's growth — m the old land arid transplant himself and family to the new, Avith its strangeness and unaccustomed environment. English — very — -you would say at once when first hearing him speak; but not aggressively so. He just somehow fills the bllli and his quiet, restrained delivery fits m with the quiet, mellow tones of his cathedral. And if he hankers at times after the delectable "chessboard" countryside and the trim, clipped hedges of his rural England he doesn't show it. Who knows but that he writes Home to say. "What know ye of England who only Ene-L'ind know? Why. here m this new Canterbury T have found England's nearest counterpart!"