MAORI CHARM

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 169, 19 July 1941, Page 8

MAORI CHARM

FOR BRITISH TRAWLER

A GIFT FROM ROTORUA

Among the many craft guiding convoyed ships safely in and out of British ports is one of His Majesty's mine-sweeping trawlers in charge of Lieutenant-Commander Gordon Bridson, of Auckland. Yes, the same Gordon Bridson who was known in Auckland a few years ago as champion swimmer over all distances from 100 yards to a mile.

And his ship carries on its bridge an inscription of the traditional Maori war cry: "Ake ake kia kaha" (we fight on for ever and ever). Shortly to this inscription is to be added a strip of New Zealand wood bearing a Maori symbolical carving, done in New Zealand, to act both as a charm and as an inspiration to commander and crew—the equivalent of the old-time figurehead. In common with a number of New Zealand yachtsmen of the Royal Naval Reserve who went to Britain at the outbreak of war to place themselves at the service of their country on the sea, Lieutenant-Commander Bridson now has his ship in the trawling flotillas of the British coast. Recently he was sent an "all in" letter from the many friends he had made in business contacts in the Auckland province, and in reply he wrote telling of his experiences. Incidentally he mentioned the Maori inscription he had put on his ship's bridge, and expressed a desire to have a Maori carving to add to it. The result was that the recipients of the circular letter in the Rotorua district arranged to have a suitable carving prepared. The work was entrusted to a native carver, Wihau, and was done on timber obtained at a mill at Wharepaina. It is a sixinch strip about eight feet in length, engraved with Maori symbolic carving of a head with pawa shell eyes. ■This carving is now in possession of J-aeutenant-Commander Bridson's old business firm in Auckland, John Duthie and Co., Ltd., for forwarding to its destination in Britain