Evening star., 1952-05-11
Ambassadors Wife Engaging Person
Mrs. Percy Spender
Known as Author
OF Who-Done-Its?
By Jessie Font Evons

BY jessie font evonS
Slender, sparkling Mrs. Percy
Spender. wife of Australia's dis
tinguished Ambassador to the
United States. is a very engaging
person in her own right. Accus-
toned to organizing her time
skillfully and effectively, she is
adept at putting the emphasis
upon first things first.
AS j. M. Spender in their SOUTH
ern atmosphere, island continent
home. she is O. celebrity, too
the author Of . series of intrigu-
ing who -done-it? mystery stories.
Among them. "Full Moon for
Murder. Death Comes in the
Night" and 1.-THE Charge Is Mur-
der" are favorably known interna-
tionally among devotees of thriller
fiction.
This avocation Of hers she has
been entirely put aside for the
present, because she believes her
husbands interests should have
first call upon her time. Besides,
with the pressure Of their Com
monwealth's affairs upon his
hands, she doesn't feel she should
impose the proofreading Of her
manuscripts upon him. It is he
who has insured their correct
legal Technology, when her victims
Ientangle themselves with the law.
Ambassador Spender is one of
IAustralia's most brilliant and able
lawyers. The @. c. after his name
stands for Queens Counsel.
First Post
This is his first diplomatic post,
although the Spenders have been
in the United States and in this
city frequently in the past. They
spent some time here in 1850
when he was leading Australia S
delegation to the United Nations.
The Spenders are prominent
members of society in Sydney and
in Canberra, capital city of the
Australian Commonwealth. Like
our Washington, Canberra was
specifically planned as seat of
government. Mr.. Spender has
served as Foreign Minister. treas
Eurer Of the Commonwealth, Min
lister of the Army. member of the
war council and Minister of Ex-
ternal Affairs. and External Terri
tories.
Mrs. Spender has travelled ex-
tensively over their country's area
with her husband. Australia's ter
ritory is only 600, 900 square miles
less than our own. exclusive of
Alaska and our island possessions.
"The Commonwealth Of Aus
tralia is becoming heavily indus
trialized in many sections, and is
accepting many immigrants, about
half of whom are from Britain, -
she says. There also is trickle
lof Americans. The Americans are
chiefly those with an adventurous
spirit, who got to know and like
us during the war: Your troops
and ours always get along famous
ly, you know.
1--WE find many similarities be-
tween our two great countries.
Both are comparatively new and
look to wide horizons. AS is the
case with you, our pioneering days
are still within the recollections Of
many of our elderly citizens, and
while it is true our frontiers like
yours are now distant ones, they
still present a challenge for the
hardy of spirit"
Ambassador and Mrs. Spender
have travelled extensively in the
United States and are doing even
more OF it since he was appointed
to his present post. They have
just returned from a trip to the
Bureau of Reclamation in Colo
RADIO, where the first group of IL
Australian engineers is training
under the Snowy River Hydro
Electric Commission plan. Some
are in dam construction, Others
in design and in tunneling. After
approximately a year they will be
replaced by a further group or
this great project. which is ex-
pected to take Is years to COM
plete. The Australian government
is financing the entire cost o1
the training and services under ar
agreement concluded in 1851 be.
tween the two governments.
Here in our Nations Capital
Mrs. Spender Is in the midst o1
doing over the Embassy. Hel
artistic touch is evident in its new
decor. Highly commendable, too
is the ability which she is dis
playing in getting a full measure
of intrinsic worth in addition tt
delightfully."- charming results.
The Spenders have brought theil
own silver, several rugs, pictures
and other furnishings Ito make
the Embassy bit of home.
Especially lovely is the exquisite
painting. "Flora," by Lawrence
This hangs in the front hall. Tht
Ambassador likes to collect paint
;ngs and his tastes are wide ant