SHIPBOARD PARTY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 135, 9 June 1945, Page 12

SHIPBOARD PARTY

GIFT COMMITTEE ENTERTAINED

As a mark of appreciation of their unflagging work for the Mercantile Marine during the war years, women members of the overseas seamen's gift committee were entertained at afternoon tea yesterday by the captain of a vessel in port. Captain F. A. Mclndoe was also present with Mr. A.1 D. Bayfeild (president), Mr. A. H. Sinel, representing the New Zealand Shipping Company, and Mr. W. T. Rae, of the Blue Star Line (N.Z.), Ltd.

After tea, which was served in the officers' dining saloon, the party was conducted over the ship and shown the arrangements made for the comfort of wartime passengers. They also watched with interest the loading of New Zealand meat and dairy produce..

Captain J. V. Jinks, on behalf of officers, seamen, and ratings of all classes in the Merchant Navy, expressed appreciation of all the overseas gift .committee, had done for merchant seamen. He had just learned that they had packed 31,967 parcels for 377

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ships during the war years. The men of his ship had had a warm welcome in every port and deeply appreciated all that had been done for them.

Mrs. M. H. Chatfield (convener), replying on behalf of the committee, spoke of its beginning in the early days of the war. Then they had had the feeling that the men of the Merchant Navy were "nobody's children." Since then they had been the committee's special care and the work done for them had never been anything but a pleasure. "They have never failed to answer the call no matter how strenuous the work of preparing packages," said Mr. Bayfeild. He thanked the captain and the shipping company for the hospitality extended that afternoon. Captain Mclndoe said that* the committee had not attended a shipboard party since the first year of the war, restrictions having prevented such a gathering, and he thought the number of women present at such brief notice was indicative of their pleasure in the visit. Six hundred and fifty parcels were packed by the committee during this week alone, one day's request being for 500 and yesterday morning for 150.