H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9043, 14 May 1915, Page 6

H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND

REMNANTS OF HER ENSIGN

i Tha High Commissioner has forwarded the following letter to the Prime Minister:—“l have to iniorni you that I have recently received from Captain Lionel Halsey, 8.N., a : letter in which he states that the silk ensign flew throughout the action (the naval action in the North bea> when the German battleship Bluchor was sunk), and if necessary _ will fly a train though it is much reduced in size, but I kept all the old frayed-out bits to send hack to the Dominion as a token for coining generations. Theso I propose to send to you and ask yon to have them conveyed to your Government, should they desire to havti them/ The pieces of the ensign havt s now como to hand, and I am havmj 5 them carefully packed and sent to yoi j under separate cover by the presen t mail You will, ho doubt, think } t desirable to have them, displayed Jh the Dominion Museum or other sui fcablo place.” . , _. - To this communication the intie Minister has sent the following 11c- ** “The High Commissioner’s letter (covering some tattered fragments ot the silk ensign which the New Zeal ind accepted from the women of New Zealand, at the instance of the lunaru branch of the Navy League) has revived many memories of the visi fc 01 the ship to the Dominion, and of our association with yourself, in that time of peace. Wo all appreciate the proof, which your present message atfords t that you still, in the mid st ot your great and pressing rcsponrfibiiitics, have time for kindly thougl its ot the Dominion. The people of New Zealand have fallowed with cug'Br interest and pride the story of the Now Zealand’s part in the naval war, ana wo all have confidence that yc«u and your officers and men will, when your opportunity comes again, again, give the enemy cause to fear tins ship which bears our name, lou will, gather from the enclosed copy of a letter received from the secretary to the'Battleship Presentation Fund that tbe remnants you have forwarded will be deposited in the Municipal Art Gallery in Timaru, where a letter from vou on the subject of the flag; already hangs. On behalf of the Government and the people of New Zealar,d, I desire to send to you and your gallant ship’s company a message of our trust and confidence in you ami r.a them,--Believe me, yours truly, (Sigi led) H . h . Massey.”