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GOVERNMENT HOUSE, OTTAWA
30th April, 1936.
Dearest Tin
I resume my weekly letter. My mother and Nan arrived safely last Saturday night, both very well; and so far they seem to be enjoying themselves here. The difficulty will be to protect Nan from the hordes of societies which want her to address them. I am taking them down with me on one of my tours in Western Ontario next week, and I am also taking them to Niagara. The idea at present is that Walter should come out for them about the end of May, and that they should go back with him about the middle of June. Mother is a really wonderful traveller, and the voyage was not such purgatory for Nan as I feared it would be. The C.P.R. people were very kind to them.
They arrived late on Saturday night when I was with my Prime Minister at the final of the Drama Festival. On Sunday afternoon I gave away the prizes. The Festival was really a great success, and I was amazed by the high level of the work, and so was Granville Barker. The latter's criticisms could hardly have been bettered, for he was both candid and courteous. We greatly enjoyed having them here. Mrs. G.B. is the most delightful type of American woman -- the old New England stock. My trouble is how to keep up this standard. The only person I can think of for next year is Noel Coward, and it may be hard to get him to come.
My life is filled with endless small duties. We had three hundred people to tea in connection with the Victorian Order of
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Nurses on Tuesday. Yesterday Susie and I were the guests of the Apostolic Delegate - a wonderful luncheon party, including the Prime Minister and all the foreign Ministers, besides many high ecclasiastics. I was greatly struck by the Vicar-General of the Arctic, a magnificent old fellow with a long beard. He has been eighteen years with the Esquimaux. I was solemnly presented with a gold medallion from the Pope in commemoration of the canonisation of Sir Thomas More and John Fisher. I never thought I should live to receive a medal from the Pope!
Tonight I am dining with the ex-Service Members of the House of Commons. Tomorrow I go to Montreal for a batch of engagements, including a big Boy Scout dinner (I am the Chief Scout!) I am also lunching with a French luncheon club, and opening an exhibition at the Catholic University of Montreal. I take great pains to keep in touch with the French, and they are most responsive.
We have been having a spell of wet weather, but today it is a beautiful spring day, though there is nothing out in the garden except crocuses. But any moment summer may come with a burst.
My letters from home are not very cheerful - my most cheerful correspondent is Anthony Eden! I am afraid our beloved S.B. is getting into poor health. I was alarmed by his looks before I left, for he was getting too thick, and a bad colour, and his deafness is growing on him. I suppose Neville will succeed him; but Neville is by no means an ideal Prime Minister, good man though he is.
You have had a not very cheerful Budget, and we shall have ours tomorrow. Ours is purposely being made very gloomy in order to alarm the people. Technically Canada's finances are in a muddle, but I see no reason why they should not be straightened out within two years, and of the assets of the country there is no question.
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2.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, 0TTAWA .
Michael Lubbock is staying with us for a couple of nights. He is in the Hudson Bay - the son of Cis Lubbock. His wife was a Crawley and a cousin of the Gathorne-Hardys. He brought an introduction from the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is always pleasant seeing someone like him from home.
Johnnie is steadily improving, I think, and when the fishing begins in a week's time I hope he may be like his old self. Susie is uncommonly well.
I do hope you are keeping fit. We are enormously looking forward to your coming in the summer.
Much love. from John
