LAST GOOD-BYE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 November 1924, Page 5

LAST GOOD-BYE

NAVAL SPECTACLE. IN COOK STRAIT. STRIKING SCENES; AT SEA: (By Telegraph.—Special to Star.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 26. A naval farewell to Loru Jeiiicoe‘off Cape Terawhiti,"'in Cook Strait, .-was one of the distinctive and appropriate features of 1 New: Zealand’s, sfend-otf, which its lorn£ Governor-General will 1 long remember. . The mail steamer .Tahiti. fiulied out frpm the King’s Wharf amid/a scene. of splendid enthusiasm. 'The cheers dime lugfeafc roils as the spectators, crowding inany . neighbouring wharves, .caught up the final signal, when the bands played “Auld -Lang Syne.” When/ the Tahiti turned down ■ the harbour it, passed two miles of spectators lining the water-front, school / children having been specially conveyed to an excellent vantage point. On the Dorset more cheering people were thronged, and spectators ;on crow r ded excursion steamers added their chorus. It was then the riavy?s turn. H.M.S. Veronica was .. seen lying off Island Bay. The flagship, H.M.S’ Dunedin had followed thd . Tahiti, having waited for; a party of Ministers, including Sir Francis Bell, Sir Maui .Romare, Sir Heaton Rhodes, the Hons. Bollard and Anderson, Hon Statham (Speaker of the House of RepresChta r lives), General Melville; Commandant of the New Zealand and Captain Curtis, aide-de-camp .to Lord Jellicoe. The visitors were the guests of/ .Commodore Beal, of the .New Zealand naval forces. The Tahiti, going at sixteen knots, made out to the centre of the Strait, arid in due course was easily passed by H.M.S. Dunedin, which, using only; four out of seven boilers, sped at 22 knots, providing striking evidence that New Zealand’s principal warship is quite up to date. It could reach-Sidney in two days, though;the Tahiti ii expected to' make yan extra smart trip in three and a half days. The Dunedin has a long cruising range; thanks to oil burning, which has made stoking so efficient, and easy, ' With her dominant speed H;M.S. Dunedin soon reached the head of the line,; the Veronica following, and' the Tahiti at the, rear. When this naval ‘ procession was near 1 Cape Terkwhiti,, both warships smartly fired the Goversalute of 19 guns; 1 The somewhat gloomy day suddenly turned - to brilliant sunshine, ■ and the' privivisitors saw a. fine; marine sprictacle when H.M.S. Dunedin led the Veronica in a quick turn, ihe smaller warship following the .flagship at: a few cables’ length, her stem ploughing' the outer edge of the Dunedin’^ foamy wake with geometrical Durthis manoeuvre - the mail stoariier caught up, and, as she passed the crews of the warships lined on the forecastle gave rousing parting cheers. The Tahiti rapidly Became a small'spot in the distance, but until the last mordent of visibility the signallers, were busy. The Dunedin sent the one word,/ "Farewell,” to Lord Jellicoe. The final parting message fluttered from the mail , steamer just as it headed ’west 1 for ' Sydney: “Goodbye; thank you for kind message. Kia ora.” . During the return trip into Wellington the Ministerial party inspected the nineteen New Zealand- naval rat- • .irigs who have rejoined their ship after ■ an intensive" course of training in England. * Sir Heaton Rhodes congratulated them on having an absolutely * clean record. Their badges showed that they had made good in training, and.on'be-: half of the Government he welcomed them back to the'New Zealand' navy with great pleasure. They had set a high standard of .attainment. . " ,• Sif-Francis Beli added his congratu-' lations, remarking : ' “You* New Zealanders have played the New Zealand game.” WIRELESS FROM' LORD JELLICOE (BY. TELEQRAPHt —PRESS ABBOCIATIQN. WEI/LINGTON, Nov. 26. The, administrator of the Goverument, the Right Hon. Sir Robert Stout, lias received the following wiretf 8 ” le ® s ?Se .from Viscount Jellicoe, the Tahiti being now outsde the territorial limits of New Zealand: - ' : “Lady Jellicoe, my family and my- , self hid you and the people of, New Zealand a most regretful farewell, with .every, possibles good wish for tjhe' happiness ' and prosperity of the Dominion-—Jellicoe.’? ; Sir Robert Stout replied as follows : “Thank you.'.for* your, message. I feel sure that; the 'people.:'' of New Zealand will never, forget your- great services to the Dominion and the Empire. Warmest good wishes for the happiness of you . all—Robert Stout. ’ ’ BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT LONDON, Nov; 25. ‘ The . Colonial Secretary (Mr. L. G. M. S. Amery) ‘has cabled Lord Jellicoe, paying a tribute to his distinguished services and noting With satis/ faction New. Zealand’s appreciation;