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Among leading newspaper men to visit the Dominion in the past year were Mr. Randolph Hearst, United States of America, and Mr. Price Day, of the Baltimore Sun. Other distinguished visitors were Professor R. W. Gerard, Professor of Physiology at Chicago University; Dr. Earl R. Carlson, authority on cerebral palsy, and Mrs. Carlson ; Dr. Orton, President, Australian Society of Anaesthetists ; Dr. R. C. Murphy, of the American Museum of Natural History, and Mrs. Murphy ; Mr. Norman Goodall, Secretary, International Missionary Council; Mr. Basil Henriques and Mrs. Henriques, experts on juvenile delinquency ; Mr. J. K. Brownlees, of the Colonial Service, Tonga ; Mr. W. E. Dunk, Chairman, Public Service Commission, Australia; Mr. P. B. Cruickshank, " Otaki Shield " winner. Important delegations that visited the country were the Pakistan delegates and the United Nations Mission to Western Samoa. This year also witnessed the arrival and departure of the first B.C.P.A. aircraft Auckland to Vancouver service, and the Empire Air Navigation School visit of aircraft Aries 11. All the personnel received appropriate hospitality. Apart from State luncheons and other receptions given in honour of some of the above named, morning teas were tendered to the British Phosphate Commission and the members of the executive of the Returned Sailors, Soldiers, and Airmen's Imperial League of Australia. An afternoon-tea reception was given in honour of the Boyd-Neel Orchestra. A Government luncheon was tendered to the United States Mapping Mission. The South African Association Football Team was given a morning-tea reception, and the New Zealand Rugby League Football Team was welcomed on its return from its tour abroad. Farewells were tendered to Commodore G. H. Faulkner, D.S.C., R.N., and to the New Zealand Contingent of Boy Scouts who attended the world jamboree in France. Luncheons were given in honour of Dr. A. F. H. von Troostenburg, Netherlands Minister, and Mr. Ivan K. Ziabkin, Minister for the U.S.S.R. State funerals due to the deaths of the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, the Hon. J. O'Brien, and the Hon. M. Fagan, M.L.C., were arranged by this section. The officers and ratings of the visiting warships H.M.S. " Theseus" and its escorting destroyer " Cockade," and H.M.A.S. " Australia " and " Bataan," were given the usual courtesies. The Department is indebted to all local authorities and the Maori people generally who contributed so well in entertaining guests at the places they visited, IX. WAR HISTORY BRANCH Work has proceeded steadily during the past year and the following progress can be reported :—- (a) White-papers. —Two volumes ready for printing. Consent of United Kingdom authorities not yet obtained. (b) Popular Series. —Ten parts out of the projected forty-eight are completed, and two are ready for the printer. (c) Official History.—No volumes complete, but a great deal of work has been done. An immense amount of new information has been received, examined, and sorted, including important German and Japanese records. (d) Unit Histories. —Of the twenty projected, good progress has been made with six, and two are ready for printing. It is difficult to find satisfactory writers, and probably members of the staff will be employed on this series when they have completed their campaign narratives.

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