GIANT VESSEL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23010, 11 April 1938, Page 13

GIANT VESSEL

EMPRESS % BRITAIN

CALL AT WELLINGTON f NO MILFORD SOUND VISIT CANADIAN PRIEST'S POST [tlY TBfcEOnAPH —PKKSS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Sunday kess than an hour after she came into view and passed Point Halswell this morning the cruise liner Empress of Britain was moored alongside Pipitca Wharf. The arrival of this magnificent ship—by far the largest liner that has ever visited thjs part of the world—,vas a memorable occasion in the history of the port. livery vantage point in and about the harbour was occupied by spectators, "ho watched the splendid spectacle presented by the, stately propress of the great white liner, the niooripg of which took less time than often is required for a much smaller vessel. '' Storm Encountered The Empress of Britain encountered a storm on her approach to New Zealand, and ih view of the unfavourable conditions had to abandon her proposed visit to Milford Sound. She made a fast trip up the west coast of the South Island and through Cook Strait, and arrived off Pencarrow Head shortly after seven o'clock this morning. I

On every world cruise made by the Empress of Britain the Canadian Pacific company nominates a Catholic priest from Canada and an Anglican minister from England to care for the spiritual welfare of the passengers. The Catholic chaplain 011 this voyage is the Rev. Father Philippe Normande. of Three Rivers, a town mid-way between Quebec and Montreal.

Father Normande said to-day that in his home town 95 per cent of the Epulatiop were of French descent. In iguage and customs they were wholly French, although their allegiance was wholeheartedly to Canada and Great Britain. Three J?ivers was a city of 50,000 people, and was the centre of the wood pulp and newsprint industry. He had read newspapers in Australia which were printed upon Three Rivers newsprint. Bi-lingual City

Although' it was only a very little city that part of Canada was completed bi-lingual, continued Father Xormande. Every official document, even paper money, was printed in duplicate in both English and French. The notices on the shops in the streets ■were some in French and some in English. Officially the two languages had equal footing, but in actual practice French predominated in that part of Canada on account of the greater proportion of the populace being of French blood.

Details pf the Empress of Britain and her commander, with photographs, appear on page 15.