N. Z. 'WONDERFUL PLACE'

Taupo Times, Volume 20, Issue 1, 7 January 1971, Page 6

N. Z. 'WONDERFUL PLACE'

A retired British Army officer, who says that New Zealand is "the most beautiful country in the world," is holidaying in Taupo with his wife. He is Brigadier H. H. Blanchard, C.B/E., who is spending the entire four months he is in New Zealand fishing around the shores of Lake Taupo. Brigadier Blanchard and his wife first came to New Zealand two years ago and visited Taupo. "I had been wanting to come to New Zealand for years. "The 1921 All Black captain George Aitken was a good friend of mine and it was he who first inspired me to come and see your country," said Brigadier Blanchard. "You really don't know how lucky you are down here. It's simply a wonderful place," he said. Brigadier Blanchard had plenty of praise for the hospitality of New Zealanders.

He and his wife are staying at the Windsor Lodge Motel at Waitahanui where they re- v sided on their first visit in 1968. Cargo vessels are the / favourite mode of transport for the Blanchards. They arrived in New Zealand on a cargo ship in November and will leave by the same means in March. But the lure of the big rainbow trout is strong and the Blanchards are likely to return to Taupo. "I would love to settle here, but I have one or two ties still in Britain and I can't see my way clear at the moment," he said. Brigadier Blanchard said he considered New Zealand had an export market which was not even beginning to develop yet — that of wines. 4 "I'm only an average wine fancier, but I would say that New Zealand wines compare favourably with any others, and I am only sorry that I am unable to buy them in Britain," he said.