BRITISH CHILDREN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 302, 28 September 1940, Page 3

BRITISH CHILDREN

FIRST BATCH AT WELLINGTON. VOYAGE WITHOUT INCIDENT. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, September 27. Laughter, shouting and singing as the liner berthed, the first official party o! British children to arrive in Now Zealand under the Government scheme for the evacuation of youngsters from the danger zone to the Dominions, reached Wellington to-day. With the implicit faith of childhood they gave three cheers for their new homes as the steamer drew in to the wharf. There were 89 altogether—37 girls and 52 boys—in charge of a school mistress, six escorts and two nursing sisters. All came from Scotland. Between 30 and 40 were coming to friends or relations by whom they had been nominated, and the remainder are to be- billeted for the duration of the war with foster-parents who had offered homes in response to the appeal issued a. few months ago. These children. did not, of course, know to whom they were going or what their destiny would be. The steamer’s rail was lined with laughing young faces as t they came alongside. Among them, and evidently finding it difficult to keep pace, with all the questions, were to bo seen the Director of Education (Dr. C. Booby), the Superintendent of Child Welfare (Mr J. R. Medline), and Mr A. G. Harper, of the Overseas Children’s reception committee, who had met the vessel in the stream. Rating Popular. A young, hut heavily bearded R..N.V.R. rating, who was an apparent favourite with the children, was festooned with young admirers as lie pointed out the sights. The children waved eagerly down at strangers on the wharf.

“Ooh, look! There’s a real Maori!” was one of the first audible remarks. Then they hailed their new land with three hearty cheers, and raised a cheery chorus as the liner moored. Among the first to welcome them were the Mayor and Mayoress of Wellington (Mr and Mrs T. C. A. Hoslop), the United Kingdom High Commissioner (Sir Harry Batterbee), the Mayor of Lower Hutt (Mr J. W. Andrews) and the president of the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association (Colonel A. Cowles). In charge of the children was Miss Jean Johnson, of Glasgow, headmistress of a children’s school there before she undertook this form of national service. She will be returning immediately to England for a further batch. One of the two nursing sisters was Sister E. McLauchlan, who went away from New Zealand with the Main Body of the N.Z.E.F. to the Great War. She had not been back to New Zealand since 1920. Miss Johnson said that the children had behaved extremely well on the voyage. There had been practically no trouble except a few days of very slight sea-sickness at the outset, from which the children had quickly recovered. The children could not have behaved better. She had never known such a bright and happy lot of kiddies. Members of the ship’s company were simply daft about them, and she herself was breaking her heart at the thought of parting with them. Games and Lessons.

The main task on the voyage was to keep the children occupied. They had games, lectures in English and geography lessons, physical training, bal- ' let. and cabaret dancing and community singing. They were all sent to bed at 6.30 nightly. In tile tropics all slept on deck. The children were encouraged . as far as possible to look after themselves. They did their own washing and ironing, girls and hoys alike. The discipline appeared to lie strict, but was anything but oppressive as was evident from the alacrity with which Miss Jo Imam’s least word was obeyed. The children had the ship practically to themselves lor the greater part of the .voyage. There was only a handful of other passengers. The children were mainly from Glasgow and Edinburgh, in almost equal proportions, but there were some from Greenock, Kerrymuir and Aberdeen. They ranged in age from Sally Emmett, of Edinburgh, aged 15, to Warner Lamb, of the same city, who is just five. The largest family comprised four sisters from Greenock, the 13-year-old Lillian Border acted as mother to her younger sisters, Lorna (5), Rose (8) and Margaret (11). They are going to live with friends at Miramar, Wellington. f Informal Gathering. F* Hardly had the shore folk hoarded the vessel than the hell rang tor dinner—high tea they called it. They stood,' eyes tightly shut, to chant a very charming grace, then stood at Miss Johnson’s word to greet their visitors.

. Half a dozen five-year-olds shared a special low table furnished with diminutive chairs. The children were welcomed to New Zealand by the Mayor, who addressed them briefly as they had tea. As the mouthpiece of the citizens of Wellington, he assured them how pleased everyone was to see them here safe and well. He noticed they were from Scotland and he could hear the Scottish burr in their voices. “God bless you all, and we are very glad to see you,” said the Mayor. “I hope we shall see a lot more of you after this.”* The children applauded vociferously and thanked him for his welcome with more cheers. Afterwards they swarmed round their visitors very friendly and anxious to learn what they could of their new homeland. All the children wore identification discs round their necks and some evacuation labels in their lapels like parcels for the post. Kilts and tartan skirts were numerous. Soon after tea there came on board the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) and other members of tho Cabinet. The occasion was quite informal. The \Min-

isters chatted with the children and were photographed in happy groups with them.

“Is that tho Prime Minister?” asked one little boy. “Coo, Jimmy, there's the Prime Minister.” “Say, who’s the big fair man next him?”—Oh! Is he really a detective? Hev Jimmy, there’s a real detective.

‘‘Look Bill, there’s a detective. I say, where’s his gun?—Oh, don’t they have guns in New Zealand?” It was obvious who stood highest in childhood’s 1 scale of hero worship.

The Wellington contingent and those for the rest of the North Island slept on board ship last night . The South Island children were to have, left for the south to*night.