TIKI FOR MASTER

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 49, 27 February 1934, Page 5

TIKI FOR MASTER

THE PORT CHALMERS

CEREMONY AT DOCKS

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

LONDON, January 12... J Many people interested in New Zealand trade, and Press representatives gathered on the bridge of the Commonwealth and Dominion Line's new motor vessel, the Port Chalmers, to speed the captain on his first voyage . with the ship. ' . -

The idea was" borrowed from the custom of the Maoris when they set out in their big canoes for the islands across the ocean. Mr. K. S. ForsytK, London mangaer of the Now Zealand Meat Producers' Board, explained the ceremony and made the presentation of a'greenstone tiki to Captain S. W. Hayter. ■ . . -

'- ■ AVh'en the Maoris first.set out from their inland homo of Hawaiki to colonise New Zealand, said Mr. Forsyth, it was their custom to consecrate the great canoes for the long ocean voyage. This ceremony, was known as tho karakia (canoe ritual) for the whaikawa (the passage across tho dwelling of the sea-god.) The prow and poop of each canoe, (where were stored the food supplies) were decorated with great fern, fronds. The upward stretching fronds were set up as a gesture of homage to the gods of the heavens, and the downward ones.as a. gesture to the gods of the ocean (Tane and Kiwa); The high priest of the tribe, having chanted his blessing, presented the chief commanding the vessel with an image of the tribal god, as a talisman for the voyage. In presenting the tiki, Mr. Forsytb said: "Whenever you wear this, I. am. sure good fortune will always follow you." , . , Captain Hayter, replying, said the company had been successfully carry-' ing dairy produce and frozen meat for many years. He hoped' they would have as great success in the carriage of chilled meat. It was a delicate task, but they would give the same great care to it as they had given to .the other produce in the past. v . . : V"; ■', , "TOWARDS THE SUN." ' In the dining saloon later,"Mr. H. E. Davis, London manager of the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board, proposed ah informal toast to the hosts and to their ship. '■■■"'■.' '"I can think of nothing more appropriate," he said, "than our wellknown New Zealand phrase with which most of you are acquainted, 'Kia Ora', which, although loosely employed to mean 'Good Luck' or 'Good Health', literally means 'Towards the Sun.' In a few days' time the Port Chalmers will be heading towards the lands of sunshine in the Antipodes'and within a few weeks will bring back her first cargo of New Zealand products to this country." _ ;.-,-,■-■ ■■ •■ , : . "It is indeed a matter of" gratification to New Zealanders to know that the development of trade with the United Kingdom has been, is, and I trust always will be associated exclusively with British shipping, fn view.of a certain amount of unflattering prominence that has lately been given to New Zealand products vis-a-vis proposals to develop.Home dairy production, it may not bo inappropriate to remind you that nearly 50 per cent, of Britain's total imports of butter is still drawn from foreign countries. It is rather regrettable,that whereas in the past much of this produce was conveyed from foreign countries to British ports m British ships, now the bulk has passed to foreign shipping." ■ ■',«['■ ; The ceremony was arranged by 'the Dairy Produce Board and the Meat Producers' Board in conjunction with the C. and D. Line. •-.'■ Mr. H. W. Corry, yicc-chainnan of the C. and D. Line, replying to the toast, said that the new vessel, the-Port Chalmers, was one of two. ships'which the Commonwealth and Dominion Line was building for the United KingdomAntipodes- service. , Taken in the aggregate, the nine, vessels to. be" built for the Anglo-New Zealand food trade, of whicji the Port -Chalmers was* the first to be completed; was" easily the biggest shipbuilding ' development iof .recent years. • - .. ,/■ •.';■ ' It was not unworthy of note that, at a time when British shipping was' suffering so acutely from w.orld trade depression, the company: was ' fortunate in being able to maintain and improve its services in this all-British trade to New! Zealand. , .