A New Zealander In Sydney Town

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 594, 21 February 1929, Page 7

A New Zealander In Sydney Town

(From Our Own Correspondent) SYDNEY, February 15. For the first time in the history of New South Wales, the son of a Premier has been married during his father's term of office. Daughters by the score, more or less, have had this honour, but John Bavin, son of New Zealand-born Premier Bavin, is the first son to achieve this distinction. His marriage earlier in the week to Marcia Allen, daughter of the extremely wealthy Arthur Allens, who have extensive legal and pastoral interests, was graced by the presence of the Governor and Lady de Chair. The Bishop of Newcastle, Dr. Long (.who is spoken of as the next Archbishop of Melbourne), performed the ceremony. Shirley Bavin, who was in New Zealand last year with her father and Barbara Allen, were the bridesmaids. Annabel Aand Barbara. Austin, the small nieces of the bride, and daughters of Ken Austin, £he well-known golf enthusiast, were train-bearers. Gordon Wesche and Stewart Jamieson attended the bridegroom. With his bride, the Premier’s son will leave for England very shortly on a honeymoon trip, before returning to his Crown Prosecutorship at Bathurst. Governor’s Son and Maoriland Somerset de Chair, the Governor’s son, who is destined very shortly for Oxford, has returned most enthusiastic concerning New Zealand’s charms. In different papers during the week 1 noticed one or two literary efforts, to which Ms name was subscribed, repeating well known legends and stories concerning the thermal districts. It is good to see Maoriland receiving this publicity at the hands of the Governor’s son, whose sincerity one cannot doubt. Both Sir Dudley and Lady de Chair have also had some extremely happy things to say concerning the little country across the Tasman, of which so many “travelled” Australians are so blissfully ignorant. Plate for H.M.A.S. Canberra

Following the English practice of making a presentation of plate to warships from towns after which they have been named, a committee has been called to collect money from residents of Canberra for a similar gift to H.M.A.S. Canberra. The new cruiser is at Melbourne at the moment. Mrs. Bruce, wife of the Prime Minister; Lady Glasgow, wife of the Defence Minister; and Mrs. Abbott, whose husband was recently appointed to the Federal Cabinet, have issued the appeal. Historic Flights

Mention of Canberra, where Parliament is stiting at the moment, recalls the fact that the library in the King’s Hall there is displaying an interesting collection of records associated with famous flights to Australia. Included are the log-books of the flights of the Southern Cross to and from New Zealand, two somewhat battered and decidedly unpretentious exercise books. Also to be seen are the matrices of the three speaking films made by Kingsford Smith, Ulm, and Hinkler for the Columbia Company. Other objects of interest are the £IO,OOO cheque presented to Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith for the first flight from England to Australia, with the letter bearing the special postage stamp; and also the small Australian flagcarried by Sfr Hubert Wilkins on his polar flights. Sir Eric Geddes

Sir Eric Gecl.des was the gtiest of Lord and Lady Stonehaven at Government House, Canberra, on his way back to Melbourne from Sydney. He met Mr. Bruce informally at luncheon at the Prime Minister’s lodge for a discussion on civil aviation - mperial airways, and then hurried on to Melbourne, and thence to Adelaide, to catch the Mooltan for London. The ex-imperial Cabinet Minister got over a good deal of ground during his ten days’ stay in the Commonwealth. The Timber Strike

It seems useless for the timber workers to hurl their heads against the brick wall of constitutionalism. For another thing, they are badly led. There are no outstanding leaders among the industrialists in Australia to-day. Able men cannot stay in the movement. The crowd demands the political extinction of men of genuine ability. I was present the other afternoon when Jock Garden, the Communist leader, and secretary of the Labour Council’s Disputes Committee, the body controlling the strike, received the newspaper correspondents. One often has considerably less difficulty in invading the sanctum of a Cabinet Minister. But the ex-parson leader of the militants is nothing if not courteous; is always ready with a cheery response; and possesses in a marked degree the political faculty of parrying a question. Mr. Garden, however, follows a principle invariably adopted by men in responsible positions when dealing with the Press. There are many points upon which he cannot take the correspondents officially into his confidence —yet he will frankly chat and lucidly explain, when the members of the Fourth Estate assure him that his remarks will not be published. An extremely likeable fellow, whatever his politics may be, and a born leader of men. A man. too, with an extraordinary driving force. It seems a pity that his undoubted ability is not diverted into other channels, instead of sowing discord and disloyalty, extolling the Soviet, and failing to recognise the virtues of the flag that gives him the liberty for his course of action. New Zealanders’ Loss

I heard a sad little story the other day concerning a New Zealand girl travelling East. On arrival at Sydney from New Zealand, it was necessary, of course, that her boxes should be transferred to the Singapore boat. Imagine her dismay, when investigating the condition of the trunk that carried a good deal of her trousseau, to find that it had been tampered \Vith. A considerable portion of its contents had been appropriated by a dirtyfingered wharf lumper, who had left the marks of his filthy hands over the rest. On examination, it was discovered that other trunks had met with the same fate. For Parramatta

Brigadier-General Bertie Lloyd won the Nationalists selection for the vacant Parramatta seat in the State House. There were heartburnings, I am given to understand, in several directions, especially at Parramatta, where local supporters wanted a local man to fill the late Mr. Bruntnell’s shoes. However, the choice is a popular one, and it is quite likely that General Lloyd will win the seat with a comfortable margin for Mr. Bavin. The Premier, who is a personal friend of the candidate, opened the campaign for him.

After the war, where he served with distinction. General Lloyd was director of artillery attached to the general staff. After spending some time at the staff college at Quetta, in India, he returned to the Australian General Staff, which he left in 1925 to assume an important position with the Vacuum Oil Company. The general was responsible in a large measure for the arrangements concerning the visit of the Prince of Wales to Australia, and subsequently the visits of the Duke and Duchess of York. ERIC RAMS DEN.