WILLIAM HEUGHAN LIKES NEW ZEALANDERS BEST

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 369, 1 June 1928, Page 4

WILLIAM HEUGHAN LIKES NEW ZEALANDERS BEST

RECEPTION BY OVERSEAS LEAGUE William Heughan, Scottish singer, world traveller, and staunch Imperialist, paid New Zealand and the New Zealanders a fine compliment last night, when addressing ■ Auckland members of the Overseas League. It was his considered opinion, after traversing the British Empire, and visiting most of the countries of the world, that if he had to settle anywhere it would be in New Zealand. The people he would select for neighbours would be New Zealanders. "And I am not telling you people that because I happen to be in your Dominion at the moment,” said Mr. Heughan. "I make this statement wherever I go. I lose no opportunity of telling the people I come in contact with about New Zealand.” It was extraordinary, too, the visitor remarked, what inquiries concerning the Dominion had followed his remarks in regard to New eZaland, delivered in different parts of the world. Mr. F. du Guerrier, president of the Auckland branch, cordially welcomed Mr. and Mrs. Heughan to the reception held in their honour at the Priscilla tea-rooms. There was a large attendance of members of the Overseas League. The guests of honour were accompanied by Miss Maud Bell, the ’cellist. An able and attractive speaker, strongly addicted to a resonant "burr-r,” and an impressive figure in his kilts, Mr. Heughan spoke earnestly of ties of Empire. Travelling constantly for the last five years he had had the privilege of seeing the Britisher at work in many quarters of the globe. In India they had travelled up into the hill country, and on the borders of Afghanistan had visited the Scottish regiments. In Burma, Siam, and in the Malay States, they saw the planters at work. In the Far East the word of a Briton was still regarded as his bond, though the influence of American commercial men had somewhat undermined the natural estimation of the Chinese for the British. In Australia Mr. Heughan had seen something of the great problems confronting the Commonwealth. The South African Dutch, he assured his hearers, were not all followers of General Hertzog. In all probability Canada was still the source of the greatest undeveloped wealth in the Empire.

Mr. Heughan made a strong appeal for support for the Overseas League, a body which was yearly cementing still more closely the bonds of Empire. “By joining this league you are each helping and playing a small but by no means insignificant part,” he added. Mr. Heughan sang, accompanied by Mrs. Heughan, and Mrs. King contributed several songs from her Maori repertoire. Miss Quayle, the secretary, who received the visitors, wore a gown of silver tissue with touches of turquoise blue.

Others present included: Lady Lockhart, the Consul for the United States and Mrs. Boyle, Miss J. A. Mowbray, the Rev. George and Mrs. Coates, Miss Ellen Melville, Mr. and Mrs. Melville, Mrs. and Miss McDonald, Dr. and Mrs. Berrick, Miss Gutherie, Professor and Mrs. Worley, Mr. and Mrs. Gage Brown, Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Patterson, Dr. and Mrs. Wilfred Gunn, Mr. and Mrs. Hector Cameron, Mrs. McDonald, Misses Goldie, Miss Early, Miss du Guerrier, Miss* Gore Martin, Miss Lewis, Mrs. Brown and many others. THE CHEERY WORD GUIDES’ GOOD DEED FOR HOSPITAL WEEK There were many happy little hearts at the Auckland Children's Hospital yesterday afternoon, when over 200 Girl Guides visited the institution and distributed gifts among the patients, as well as broadcasting cheer and encouraging wishes. The Auckland Infirmary, also, received a visit from the Girl Guides, who distributed flowers and magazines to gladden the hearts of the inmates. This visit to the hospital institutions was not the most tangible contribution of the Girl Guides toward the success of Hospital Week, the sum of £2B haying been collected among them at the church parade on Sunday last. The novelty of the uniformed Guides and Brownies appealed to the imagination of the sick children, who brightened perceptibly after the arrival of their visitors, and clearly showed their appreciation of the attention given them. The smaller children evoked particular interest among the Guides, while the inspection of the model house, and the playground facilities afforded them as much pleasure as it did the proud, though temporary, possessors of these treasures. The women’s wards also were visited by the Girl Guides. A GUIDE PARTY FAREWELL TEA The departure of Mrs. J. A. Warnock for Honolulu by the Aorangi next week, and of Mrs. K. C. Cox for Canada by an early boat, was marked by a farewell tea given by their* associates on the Auckland Provincial Committee in the Lyceum Club lounge on Wednesday morning. Dr. Buckley-Turkington, commissioner for Auckland, presided and expressed the good wishes of the committee to the travellers, and, in the case of Mrs. Warnock, a safe return to New Zealand. Mrs. Cox does not expect to return to the Dominion, as her husband, who is attached to the Pacific Cable Board, will go on "long leave” at the end of the year, which will be spent in England. Those present were:—Mrs. A. G. Swabey, president of the provincial committee; Mrs. Bruce Mackenzie, Mrs. J. F. Montague, Mrs. E. McNair, Mrs. Percival, Mrs. McGregor. Mrs. Bamford, Miss E. Smeeton and Miss Dorothy Webster, secretary.