PACIFIC CRUISE NEARLY OVER

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25552, 21 July 1948, Page 5

PACIFIC CRUISE NEARLY OVER

SIR B. FREYBERG ON WAY TO SUVA RETURN TO AUCKLAND ON THURSDAY (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) H.M.N.Z.S. BELLONA, July 19. The cruise of the Southern Pacific by the Governor-General (Sir Bernard Freyberg, V.C.) and Lady Freyberg has nearly ended. They have visited the last of the three inhabited islands in the Tokelau Group, and the New Zealand cruiser Bellona, with the Vice-Regal party on board, is now proceeding to Fiji. Their Excellencies will disembark at Suva early on Thursday morning and proceed to Auckland by air the same day. Their experiences on the three tiny Tokelau atolls, which may see a European only once or twice a year, were probably the most moving of all during the three weeks’ cruise. Proudly affirming loyal affection for the King they have never seen qr heard, the islanders greeted their Excellencies with shy delight which becapie exuberant enthusiasm , once the acquaintance was made. Members of the party were showered with questions about the Royal Family, and officers of the Bellona who went ashore found themselves answering many inquiries about when, where, and how often they had seen rhe King and Queen. By Pacific standards the Tokelaus are poor islands, but the visitors were deluged with gifts of mats, fans, hats, shells and hard-won food.

RULE FOR ROMAN CATHOLICS

MAYORS AND ROTARIANS UNDER RESTRICTION (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, July 19. Roman Catholic members of the Rotary movement or any similar organisation must not attend non-Roman Catholic religious ceremonies in nexion with their clubs. They are subject to the same restriction as mayors, according to an announcement made on behalf of the Roman .Catholic Aychbishop ’of Birmingham. The Roman Catholic Mayor of Wolverhampton (Aiderman H. E. Lane) was last week rebuked by the Archbishop for attending in his official capacity a Free Church service celebrating the town’s centenary. Mr Latte is also a Rotarian and he was expected at a non-Catholic service at the Wolverhampton Rotary Club’s summer camp for children. Mr Lane did not go, having another engagement. He said at his home afterwards, “I had a Mayoral duty at a charity cricket match and this alone prevented me from joining my fellow Rotarians at their children’s service. I certainly would have been there as a Rotarian in spite of Catholic opinion.” At the Archbishop’s house it was stated: “If Mr Lane had gone to the service as a Rotarian, quite apart from his office of Mayor, he would still have incurred the disapproval of the Church. So would any other Rotarian who is also a Catholic.”