89 Little Scots Arrive

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 230, 28 September 1940, Page 6

89 Little Scots Arrive

Laughing Shouting and Singing FIRST OFFICIAL PARTY FOR NEW ZEALAND Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Sept, 27. Laughing, shouting and singing as tho liner berthed the first official party of British children to arrive in New Zealand under the Government scheme for the evacuation of youngsters from the danger zone to the Dominions reached Wellington to-day. With tho implicit faith of childhood they gave three cheers for their new homes «s the steamer drew into the wharf. There were 89 altogether, 37 girls and 52 boys, in charge of a schoolmistress, six escorts and two nursing sisters. All came from Scotland. Between 30 and 40 were coming to friends or relations by whom they had been nominated and the remainder are to be billeted for the duration of the war with foster-parents who had offered their homes in response to the appeal issued a few months ago. These ones did not, of course, know to whom they were going or what their destinv would be.

The steamer’s rail was lined with laughing young faces as they came alongside. Among them, evidently finding it difficult to keep pace with all tho questions, were to bo seen the Director of Education (Dr. C. E. Beedy), tho Superintendent of Child Welfare (Mr. J. R. McClune) and Mr. A. G. Harper, of the Overseas Children’s Reception Committee, who had met the vessel in tho stream. A young but heavilybearded R.N.V.R. rating, who was an apparent favourite with the children, was festooned with young admirers as he pointed out the sights. The children waved eagerly down at strangers on the wharf. “There’s a Real Maori!” “O-o-o-h, look! There’s a real Maori!” was one of the first audible remarks. Then they hailed their new land with three hearty cheers and raised a cheery chorus as the liner moored. Among the first to welcome them were the Mayor and Mayoress of Wellington (Mr. and Mrs. T. C. A. Hislop), the United Kingdom High Commissioner (Sir Harry Batterbee), the Mayor of Lower Hutt (Mr. J. W. Andrews) and the president of the Wellington R.S.A. (Colonel A. Cowles). In charge of the children was Miss Jean Johnson, of Glasgow, headmistren of a children’s school there before she undertook this form of national service. She will be returning immediately to England for a further batch. One of the tw r o nursing sisters was Sister E. McLauchlan, who went away from New Zealand with the main body of tho New Zealand Expeditionary Force to the Great War. She had not been back to New Zealand since 1920. Could Not Have Behaved Better Miss Johnson said the children had behaved extremely well on the voyage. There had been practically no trouble except a few days of very slight seasickness at the outset from which the children had quickly recovered. The children could not have behaved better. She had never known such a bright, happy lot of kiddies. The members of ' the ship’s company were simply daft about them and she herself was breaki ing her heart at the thought of parting with them.

The main task on the voyage was to keep the children occupied. They had games, lectures, English aud geography lessons, physical training, ballet and cabaret dancing and community singing. They were all sent to bed at 6.30 nightly. In the tropics all slept on the deck.

The children were encouraged as far as possible to look after themselves They did their own washing and ironing, girls and boj'S alike. The di» cipline appeared to be strict, but any thing but oppressive, as was evident from the alacrity with which Mis# Johnson’s least word was obeyed. The children had the ship practically to themselves, as for the greater part of the voyage there was only a handful of other passengers. The children were mainly from Glasgow and Edinburgh in almost equal proportions, but there were some from Greenock, Kerrymuir and Aberdeen. They Tanged in age from Sally Emmett, of Edinburgh, aged 15, to Warner Lamb, of the same city, just 5.

The largest family comprised four sisters from Greenock and 13-year-old Lillian Burder acted as mother to her younger sisters, Lorna (5), Rose (8) and Margaret (11). They are going to live with friends at Miramar, Wellington.

Hardly had the shore folk boarded tho vessel than the bell rang for din-ner-high tea they called it. They stood eyes tightly shut to chant a very charming grace and then stood at Miss Johnson’s word to greet their The Mayor’s baby daughter Susan, attending her first official reception, 1 had tea with them. The babies, half-a-dozen five-year-olds, shared a special low table furnished with diminutive chairs. Mayor’s Official Welcome. The children wero welcomed to New Zealand by the Mayor who addressed them briefly as they had tea. As the mouthpiece of the citizens of Wellington he assured them how pleased everyone was to see them here safe and well with all their hearts. Everyone wished to give them a new and happy home in New Zealand us long as the war should last. He noticed they were from .Scotland. He could hear tho Scottish burr in their voices. Well, his owd ancestors and those of many New Zealanders came from Scotland, So they would find themselves among fellowcountrymen. * 4 God bless you all, and we are very glad to see you,” said the Mayor. ‘ ‘l hope we shall see a lot more of you after this.” The children applauded vociferously and thanked him for his welcome with more cheers. Afterwards they

round their visitors very friendly and anxious to learn what they could of their new homeland. They were eager to see New Zealand coins and keen to swop their own for the new sort until told they would be losers by the deal. New arrivals were greeted wifh: 4 * Have you a New Zealand threepence, mister! Let’s have a look at it!” “What arc those things on the tailside? Look! This ’un has a bird ou it. That’s a Kiwi and there’s a Maori crouching down with his spear!”

All the children wore identification discs round their necks and some evacuation labels in their lapels like parcels for the post. Kilts and tartan skirts were numerous. They were a brown, jolly, healthy and liuppy-looking Jot of youngsters, very friendly, not at all shy but extremely thrilled at arriving in a new country and extremely excited at all the important people who had come fo meet them, for soon offer tea there came on board the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. P. Fraser), the Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. W. E. Parry), the Minister of Education (Hon. H. G. R. Mason), the Minister of National Service (Hon. R. Semple) and his associate Minister (Hon. D. Wilson), the Minister of Labour (Hon. P. C. Webb), the leader of the Opposition (Hon. A. Hamilton), Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates (member of the War Cabinet), Mr. 8. G. Holland, M.P., and Mr. J. W. Hccnan (Under secretary of the Internal Affairs Department). The occasion was quite informal. The Ministers chatted with the children and were photographed in happy groups with them. “Is that the Prime Minister!” asked one little boy. “Coo, Jimmy! There’s the Prime Minister! ” “Say, who's the big fair man next to him? Is he really a detective? Hey, Jimmy! There’s a real detective. Look, Bill! There’s a detective. I say, where’s his gun? Oh, don’t they have guns in New Zealand?” It was obvious who stood highest in childhood’s scale of hero-worship. The Wellington contingent and those for the rest of the Nbrth Island slept on board the ship last night, the South Island children were to have left for the south to-night, the Palmerston North, Masterton and Hamilton parties will be sent up-country to-morrow and it is hoped many of the children will reach their new homes to-morrow. Those wht cannot will be taken to children’s insTitntions which are to be used as clearing t A.tions.