Plaque marks ship’s link

Press, 14 June 1984, Page 9

Plaque marks ship’s link

The naval research vessel H.M.N.Z.S. Tui, which completed a substantial survey at Lyttelton earlier this year, was presented with a kauri plaque yesterday to mark the ship’s link with the port. The plaque, which depicts the native bird, the tui, surrounded by dolphins and mermaids, was carved for the ship by Commander Dick Beauchamp, aged 88. of Redcliffs.

Commander Beauchamp, who served in both the Royal Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy, said he was delighted to have been given the opportunity to carve the plaque for the vessel.

It was presented to the ship’s captain. LieutenantCommander D. A. Swann, at Commander Beauchamp’s home yesterday. Also present were Mr Terry Arthurs, the director of the Lyttelton engineering firm,

Sinclair Melbourne, Ltd. which carried out the survey of the Tui. and Mr Pat Luxton, the branch president of the Navy League. Commander Beauchamp, who took up woodcarving as a hobby 16 years ago. said it took him about 35 hours to carve the plaque from the piece of kauri, taken from an old washtub. He said he decided on the plaque’s perimeter design of two dolphins and two coldblooded mermaids as he considered the more conventional circle of rope too repetitive and boring. Commenting on the mermaids, he said. “There are hot-blooded and coldblooded varieties just like fish. The cold ones have scales on their tails and the hot ones have smooth skins and a completely different temperament.” He also had some advice for today's young seamen: “Keep off the cold variety,

some fellows have been ,badly bitten."

"I did not have any hotblooded ones available and so I had to use the coldblooded variety for the picture."

Commander Beauchamp began his naval career in 1910 as a cadet in the Royal Navy and later served as a midshipman in vessels running off the coast of West Africa during World War I. He was stationed in Hong Kong for five years, one of which was spent as deputyharbourmaster “helping to combat piracy." After settling in New Zealand in 1927 he turned his hand to dairy farming in Hoon Hav Valiev.

He stood for Parliament unsuccessfully on two occasions in the Lyttelton electorate, once for the National Party and once representing the rebel Labour member. John A. Lee. During the 19505. Commander Beau-

champ wrote regular columns for "The Press" on such topics as farming, industry. politics, defence, and literarv reviews.

During World War 11. he joined the Royal New Zealand Navy, and was appointed Deputy Harbourmaster of Lyttelton during the war. Commander Beauchamp said he still liked to keep in touch with the Naw and the port.

"Once you have sailed to sea in ships as much as I have, you cannot leave them alone,” he said. Lieutenant - Commander Swann said the plaque would be displayed in the ship's company dining hall.

The Tui was in Lyttelton's dry dock for about a month during February and March this year. She is in port this week tc exchange scientists and take on stores, and is due to sail for southern waters at 10 am. todav.