THE PREPARATIONS AT PORT CHALMERS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11949, 24 January 1901, Page 5

THE PREPARATIONS AT PORT CHALMERS.

DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE TOWNSPEOPLE. A't Port Chalmers extensive preparations were made to welcome the troops. The town was gay with bunting, and streamers of flags crossed the main streets, fluttering in the wind. At the foot of George street a triumphal arch was erected, bearing the words "Welcome Home," emblazoned in letters of gold. Above the centre of the arch a golden representation of tie lale Queen's head wa6 conspicuous; while the red ensign and several others floated high over all. Flags were flying from nearly every building, and the populace sported the national colours as they promenaded the streets awaiting the return of our troops. .

As early as 2 a.m. the tug Plucky went out •to look for the troopship, the harbourmaster, Captain M'Callnm, and Pilot M'Donaid, accompanied by Brigade-surgeon Lieutenant-colonel De Lautour and Sergeant Hazlett, being aboard. Dr De Lautour wont under instructions from Colonel Webb to make a preliminary report as to the health of the invalids and the men generally, so as to facilitate the despatch of the northern contingent in the evening, and the Mcdical Board' 6 inspection of the Otago men, which is to take place to-day. The little tug boat cast off under decidedly inauspicious circumstances. The night was intensely dark, a strong wind was blowing and a. l")ig Bea running. It was not to be wondered therefore that several others who had expressed their intention to be among the first to board the Orient and make the trip by the Plucky, at the eleventh hour drew back, and returned to the friendly warmth of the blankets. As it turned out, the Plucky went on a fruitless mission, and after cruising about outside the heads in a very rough sea for several hour?, sighting the Monowni and Corinna coming in and the Wanaka goin.tr out, she returned about 7 o'clock. At this hour the residents had already begun to turn out, a - id the first event of interest as far _as they were concerned was the arrival of the Tutanekai, with the Acting-Premier and the Organising Committee. At first the Government steamer went past the Port and down beyond where H.M.S. Mildura was riding at anchor. Then she turned and came back to the wharf, where she berthed for a few minutes. From Mr Ward the information was obtained that the Orient was expected at the heads about 11 o'clock, ahd shortly after the Tutanekai went down to meet her. After this the people on shore had'to endure "a long, weary wait, broken only by the arrival of a detachment of bluejackets and marines from the Mildura. Eventually the troopship was sighted at the heads, and hopes began to rise. The Tutanekai was seen to movo alongside, and word was received that there was to be a transhipment. Everyone was now expecting that it would not be long before " the boys" arrived, but attention was instantly withdrawn from tho steamers by the sight of the Union •Tack at the signal station on Flagstaff Hill slowly being lowered to half-mast. No one needed to be told what it meant, and as the news, " tho Queen is dead," spread around, in the course of a very short time nearly all the flags were also lowered out of respect to her memory. Immediately.afterwards a telephonic message was received from the troopship that owing to the sad news there could be no demonstration, and the troops would bo taken direct to Dunedin without calling at Port Chalmers. A gloom was naturally east over the. community on hearing of the death of their b»!oved Sovereign, and, coupled with a sense of disappointment at not feeing the returned soldiers, the Port people were far from being pleased with the turn of affairs. In fact, during the day there were some very strong murmurings against the fate that had deprivod them of the opportunity of extending a characteristic welcome to the soldiers fresh home from the war; but it should be remembered that this was practically unavoidable, and the sugge«tion that the interests of Port Chnlmor3 were sacrificed for the benefit of Dunedin is groundless. This is borne out by the fact that Dunedin people, sufforcd more by the abandonment of the day's programme than ever Port- Chalmers could have done, for there were 40,000 people waiting in Dunedin to welcome the troop 3. the majority of whom never got a sight of them. When the Tutanekai steamed past the Port on her way to Dunedin cheers were given by the crowd on the wharf, and the steamers gave her a friendly greeting by blowing their whistles. The majority of the visitors to Port, and a large number of the residents came to town by the following train, and joined the throngs who filled the Dunedin streets. (

THE TUTANEKAI'S TRIP. The Government steamer Tulanekai, which was employed when the Union 'Steam' Ship Company's Monowai steamed from Otago hearing to the African continent the Otago and Southland contingent, was used as the means of carrying the first greeting of welcome to the men of the various contingents that wore returning by the Imperial troopship Orient. With his customary kindness tho Acting-Premier (the Hon. J. G. Ward) invited the members of the Organising Committee, tho Ladies' Committee, the relatives of returning troopers, and others to meet the troopship upon her arrival in the vicinity of the Heads. It was intimated that the vefsel would leave the Dunedin wharf at 6 o'clock in tho morning, and that breakfast would he provided on board, as was dene in a generous manner and as promptly as the means on board and limited table accommodation would permit. Fully 100 persons availed themselves;.of this invitation, and amongst those on Vbard were the Hon. J. G. Ward (Aclng-Premior), Major' Oiven (chief ntalT officer, representing Colonel Penton). tho Mayor of Dunediii, (Mr,.R. Chi3holm), Messrs C. It. Smith, Frasor, P. R. Sargood, J. H. Hosking, IS. IT. IVlj, T. Mackenzie, M.H.R.. G. L. Da'nnistou (members of the Organising Committed ■;t}ie x Hons. George M'Lean and Hugh OailvfeV. M.L.C.'s, Messrs J. F. Arnold, A. IWBarclay, A. Morrison, T. I'nrata, M.H.R.'s, M. Cohen, G. Fenwiek, A. J. Burns, Mesdames Gordon Macdonald, P. C. Cotliss, N.- H, . Bel!, Eva,. Miss Patrick, afrd Mks Enri'' (members <jf the Ladies' Coiti'miltee). The weather during the night ''had been very stormy, rain falling in torrents, but at 5 o'clock the rain ceased, and the people wove able to make their <v®v to the steamer with " some degree of (pmfort, and f rom that •-time ' onwards the weather steadily improved/' Shortly after 6 o'clock the Tutanekai cast off from tho wharf, and steamed steadily/.'ahd quickly tpwards the Port. The conversation on board J showed that two thoughts were upporm'ost in the minds of all— anxiety and sorrow, the other of expectation and joy •

Speculations as to the arrival of the' Orient with some of the sons of the colony, who have done somo of the work of empira-buildiilg, were mingled with expressions ,pf liOpcs and fears regarding the great and_good monarch whose soldiers the best of 11 our boys " have been proud .to be.. ' Only to a w did tu6 cable messages in-the morning paper appeaf to cause additional but the sentiment which all felt was that Which has been in the most simple and powerful Manner expressed in the prayer of the great patriot, poet of the Victorian'era':— May all love, . ' His love, unseen but felt, o'ersbadow thee, The love of all thy sons encompass thee, The love of all thy daughters cherish thee, The love of all thy people comfort thee, Till God's love set thee at his sido again. It was recognised that the full programme ofa joyous demonstration of welcome, even to men returning from duty well done, could not be carried out when a feeling of anxiety so intense hung like a pall over the whole community, and it may now "be mentioned that at the last meeting of the Organising Committee it was resolved that, in the event of the death of he? Majesty the Queen, nothing should be'dono but what Was needful to indicate in the quietest possible way the sense of the community towards the brave Men whose love for their Sovereign has been attested not . by words but deeds. As this course was ultimately followed, it'may not be out Of place to mention that as a fact men of the contingent expressed unqualified approval therewith. As showing how general this sentiment would lie, one of the men said: "Unless you have seen thousands of British soldiers« on the battlefiold, and have noticed the way they ' Bit up straight' when the portion of the service for the Queen is 'read, you cannot tnidcrctand the feeling there 'is amongst the soldiers for her Majesty." .. ■ As the steamer ran smoothly down the Barbour, gay with bunting, there was really no thought that such a cause woiild prevent the carrying out of the modified programme that had been determined upon. The only fear seemed to be that the Orient might not arrive in time. .There were all kinds of unpleasant tumours respecting the troopship. She had not been signalled, as she ought to have been, to make matters at all reasonably certain;) she could not cross the bar, if she did come;l she was not likely to arrive before 4 o'clock in the afternoon, since she had not reached . the heads by (■ in the morning; and, last of all, in any case, there would be endless delays caused by health officer's and other officials. Still, in the most businesslike fashion, quite heedless of tho speculations of the passengers. the little vessel ploughed her way. along, running swiftly past Port Chalmers, and after steaming some distance down the lower harbour doubled sharply round, passing a second timo the man-of-war Mildura, which had already been gazed on with fond admiration as the floating home of some of " our handy men," and brought up at the pier, picking up the Mayor of fort Chalmers and Mr J. Mill. Without loss of time the vessel was on her way seawards again) and soon after 8 o'clock was brought to an anchor .in deep water under Taiaroi Hotid. A pilot boat brought out word at half-past 8 that an hour earlier the Orieht had been signalled 25 miles south, and at 9 o'clock a, signal from tho head showed that, the troopship was in sight. After this it was not difficult to be patient, and in 20 minutes the forepart of the Orient showed past the head. As soon as the Orient was sighted Mr J., F. M. Fraser, who had gone ashore, telephoned to the Dunedin committee and the railway traffio manager that the vessel would probably arrive inside the bar at 10 o'clock, that transhipment would take some liftle time, so that / she would probably reach /Port Ghalmera somewhere about 11, and that it would be needful to arrange for a special train at ll.au, so as to land the men at the Dunedin railway station at noon. , , , Soon afterwards the anchor was weighed, and the Tutanekai steamed outwards, passing the tii" Plucky, bent on a similar emmet ot welcome, and signalling by whistle i nd rockets the great troopship, that was now becoming more and more distinct, bo that numerous khaki-clad figures could be made ■ out as the men thousands were assembling to honour. Pilot Macdonald, who was on the Orient at this timo, hoaded the vessel for the bar, and, followed at a safe distance by the Tutanekai, she was soon acuored, without delay or mishap; under Taiaroa Head, in much the same position as had been previously occupicd by the Government steamer. 11l tno smooth water the Tutanekai quiokly moored; alongside the "trooper," and friends, relatives a.nd strangers hailed each other, fihOOK hands, asked questions, and fiave utterance to words of welcome}and goodwill; in such eatrerness was shown that some risk Wflß run. and no sooner was tho gangway run from the little Steamer to the big one than the Tutanekai was all but deserted, and the returned soldiers wero made to realise that) they had indeed lived in tho hearts of the people.