LATE LOCALS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1935, Page 6

LATE LOCALS

It is not the privilege of many to receive letters Horn the Flrince «oi Wjales. Mr John EwarJ, cf Mouth Hilleud, Invercargill, is one of the few to be thus honoured. He recently received )a letter from t'hel Prince about a deer drive at Invercauld in which Mr Ewan participated some years ago. , Mir Jfiivan was one of the beaters in the shoot, and so well pleased was the Prince with the sport t.hat he recognised in tamgiiblip form the part playJi : by the boaters. In his letter to Mr Ewan, dispatched from St. James’ Palace and bearing the wpll-known crest of the Prince of "Wales, the Prince refers to the shoot, and expresses the hope that Mr Ewan will have an opportunity of meeting the Duke of Gloucester during bis coming visit. Mr Ewan, who is, best known to the Southland fanning community as a prominent authority on the Clydesdale horse*', was brought up as a young man on Balmoral estate and has had more than one opportunity of coming in contact with Royalty.

The steamers Komata ami Kaiim all aw a are in port at Auckland preparing for the tow to Japan, where they will he broken up. Both wei’e formerly owned by the Union Company. Since she was docked for cleaning, the Kaim a naw a has been alongside the Western viaduct, where she was boarded three weeks ago by a crew from Japan, most iof whom now man the Komata. The Komata, which had been laid up in Wellington, was recommissioned, and arrived a J Auckland from Westport after bunkering. She is to tow the other vessel to Japna. Both ships are a little more than 2000 tons gross, the Ivomata being slightly the smaller. She was built in 1907, and the Kaimanawa, formerly the German collier John Heidmann, in 1909. Harbours and coaling ports along the 5000-mile route to Japan will make the tow easier. It has been undertaken to sa v e fuel and wages and tho cost of recondiioning the ICaimanawo as well as the other ship.