WARSHIP'S SERVICE RECALLED

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21631, 15 November 1935, Page 14

WARSHIP'S SERVICE RECALLED

, ♦ j HAVVKK'H BAY EARTHQI AKH i AriMiCi.A'fJO.a 'i blh:CKa:u-1 j HASTINGS, November 54. i : The bell and the nameplate of ' H.M.S. Veronica, which was berthed' ! at Napier at the time of the earth- j j quake on February 3, 1931, and ! which gave valuable service to the : town during the disorganisation I which followed, were presented to I the town this afternoon in the pre- ! sencc of 2000 people by Captain ■Oliver Bevir, of H.M.S. Leith, which ; is berthed at the breakwater. The , bell and nameplnte are to be permanently placed in a prominent I ; position on ornamental improve- | merits which have recently been ! carried out on the marine parade. In the presenting of the bell. Cap- ! tain Bevir said that before his arI rival in Napier he was inclined to 1 pity the people of the town be- ! of all their troubles. '■ "I think our pity has been swam- | ped by admiration since our arrival J here,''' he continued. "The people iof Napier have set an example to I the whole British Empire, and to the j i whole world even, of what the ; British can do in. time of trial and j | emergency." : The Mayor (Mr C. O. Morse) re- ! called the service rendered to j Napier bv the Veronica and later j ; by H.M.S. Diomede and H.M.S. Dunedin, at the time of the earth- j | quake. j Captain Horace Wh tee-Parsons, j ■ harbourmaster at Napier, was also presented with the Veronica's other • beli as a gift from the British Adimiralty, this being in recognition of : his skill in getting the Veronica to ; sea safe and unharmed after the [sea bottom had been raised as a rel suit of the upheaval.