"SAYONARA"!

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 121, 24 May 1935, Page 9

"SAYONARA"!

JAPANESE FAREWELL

WARSHIPS' DEPARTURE. ADMIRAL'S MESSAGE. With her hand playing "Auld Lang Syne" and her company waving enthusiastic farewells, the veteran armoured cruiser Asama, flagship of his Imperial Japanese Majesty's Naval Training Squadron, followed by her sister cruiser Yakumo, took a colourful departure from Auckland this morning. The visiting cruisers went out of the harbour in brilliant sunshine, and on water so still that it almost mirrored the departing vessels. Early arrivals on the waterfront saw tlie Asama gaily dressed with bunting, not because the warship was shortly to leave the port that had harboured her for three days, but because it was Empire Day, and the ships of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy were similarly dressed. It was a pretty compliment. Half an hour before sailing time the flagship was boarded by Sir Alexander Young, representing the Government, Mr. Krnest Davis, Mayor of Auckland, Mr. John Alexander, president of the Auckland branch of the Navy League, Captain 11. H. Sergca.it. harbour master, Mr. F. Dwyer, of the Internal Affairs Department, and Mr. J. S. Brigham, town clerk, all of whom said an official farewell to Rear-Admiral K. Nakamura, officer commanding the squadron. Presentation to Admiral. A carved Maori clock was handed to the admiral by Mr. Davis as a personal gift from himself and Mrs. Davis. The presentation was made in return for gifts received yesterday by Mr. and Mrs. Davis from the admiral. Mr. Davis was also presented yesterday with a silver cigarette case, with a raised gold emblem typifying the cherry blossom, as a gift from the two Japanese princes who are midshipmen with the squadron, in appreciation of the hospitality extended to them in Auckland. As the hour of sailing approached, members of the flagship's company lined the rails and exchanged farewells with the large crowd behind the barriers on the Prince's wharf. Everyone was aboard with the exception of a sentry at the foot of the gangway. Earlier in the morning the sentry bo<j»had been taken on board, the sentry being left standing on a footmat. A few minutes before 0 o'clock a sailor came on to the wharf and relieved the sentry of the footmat, and finally, at a call from the quarter-deck, the sentry himself ran up the gangway. A colourful display ehortly before the flagship cast off was the undressing of the ship. At the end of a long br.gle call from the bridge the sailors on deck sprang into action, and in the matter of a few seconds the long line of flags that had beeli • displayed between masts and from foremast to bow and mainmast to etern were hauled down. When the undressing had been completed only four flags remained. At the foremast the flag of Roar-Admiral Nakamura flew with the White Ensign, and at the mainmast and at the stern was displayed the Rising Sun of Japan. Final Farewells. On the tick of the hour mooring lines were cast off, and the tug Te Awhinn assisted the cruiser to back out into the stream. On the turret of the Sin gun on the foredeck an armed guard in charge of an officer with drawn sword, was mounted, and officers were busy on the bridge, but most of the ship's company were "off duty," and hundreds of Japanese crowded the rails and waved good-bye to their friends on shore. With the warship safely away from her berth the barriers were removed, and the crowd were able to get nearer again to make their last farewells. Once in the stream, the Asama quickly straightened up for her passage out of the harbour, but she did not at once gather speed, waiting for her sister ci-niner Yakumo, which had moved to the Western wharf this morning to take in oil fuel, to take up her position astern. Also aided by the tu;r, the second warship, flying the Rising Sun from her foremast and stern and the White Ensign at her main, soon took up her position, and to the strains of "Auld Lang Svne," which came clearly across the still water, the two veterans proceeded smartly out of harbour, gathering speed aa they went. No salutes were fired, but as the departing visitors passed the naval base they paraded guards, as was done on the ships at the base, and a salute was. made on the commodore* flagship and replied to by the Japanese flagship. "Most Trustworthy Friends."

Prior to his departure, Rear-Admirnl Nakamura gave the following farewell message to the people of the country he was leaving:-"0n leaving New Zealand I am "lad to have this opportunity of expressing, on behalf of all the officers, midshipmen and enheted men ot the Japanese Training Squadron under my command, our sincere gratitude for the warm hospitality and enthusiastic welcome with which we have been received everywhere we visited in Uns country. Although our stay has been very short, the Government ot tie Dominion, the people of each city, the Maori people, in fact all classes of the people have received us in a manner that has not only made us feel perfectly at home, but has rendered our visit one of the happiest experiences of our live. "I have particularly rejoiced to hear the cheers with which you welcomed us, not merely because they were compliments to ourselves, but because you were regarding us rather in the character of the most trustworthy friends, and there <ang .in those cheers sentiments of good will and respect to tlie country we have the honour to represent. Now we are departing from our friendly neighbour laden with good will and friendship, which shall be carried to our home and shall be conveyed to all classes of our countrymen as the finest souvenir. Hoping the friendly relations which now so happily exist between our two countries should be ever closer, I say good-bye."

Thus did the squadron say "Sayonara" —farewell.