SHIPS IN MAORI WARS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 50, 28 August 1934, Page 6

SHIPS IN MAORI WARS

COMMEMORATION PLATES

Tho niuu branches of the Navy League in New Zealand —Auckland, Canterbury, Otngo, Wellington, Hawke's Bay,. Picton, Masterton, Marton, and tho Wanganui Collegiate- School—have decided to present eommemoratjou plates to tho new destroyers H.M.S. Eclipse and H.M.S. Esk, which bear the names of ships which took a prominent part in tho Maori Wars. Theso. dp stroyors belong to the 1931 programme, and aro being built at Dumbarton and Wallficnd-on-Tync respectively.

During tho Maori Wars li.M.y. Eclipse served on the New Zealand coast from 1863 to 1865, in the Taranaki, Manukau, and Hauhau rebellion, and was the:first ship of the Eoyal Navy to enter tho Waikato heads. Sho took part in the action of Katikara in the second Taranaki campaign, and assisted at tho battle of Rangiriri. H.M.S. Esk took part in the Miranda expedition, The Esk Redoubt, one of the chain of work? from the Gulf of Thames to the Wai kato River takes its name from the ship. At the Gate Pa, a naval brigade of about 420 ratings from H.M.S. Miranda, Esk,'and Falcon took part in this heroic but unsuccessful attack.

Tho presentation of these inscribed bronze plates on mottled kauri by the NTew Zealand branches of tho Navy League is a token of the bravery of both pakehn and Maori and of tho unity of the two races ever since. Tho plates will bo shipped by courtesy of the Shaw, Savill. and Albion Company on s.s. Akaroa, arriving in London about October IS, arid, should circumstances permit, the presentation.will be made by Sir James Grose, president of the Wellington . branch of the Navy League, acting on behalf of the nine Dominion branches.

The plates will be on view, by courtesy of the D.I.C. management, in one of their windows during this week, and one or' them was featured on tho illustrations pao-t'1 in vpstprdav's "Post."