SAD FAREWELL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26228, 12 August 1946, Page 6

SAD FAREWELL

DEPARTURE ,OF DUTCH CONTRAST WITH ARRIVAL (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Aug. 11. Apart from groups of excited children clutching handfuls of streamers there were few cheerful passengers lining the rails of the Tasman when she sailed shortly after noon on Saturday with 150 Dutch evacuees from Camp Oranje. They were the last of those who had been recuperating in Auckland during the past six months, and they did not conceal their regret at leaving. ' It was a different scene from the one six months ago when the Dutch, under-nourished, poorly clothed and total strangers to New Zealand, arrived from the Netherlands East Indies to recover from their treatment under the Japanese. The comparison was striking on Saturday as they went aboard the ship that brought them here. For about two hours before sailing time, the ship was over-run with visitors, some of whom had come from long distances to say farewell to the people they had entertained in their homes, and alter the ship had cleared they stoop for over half pn hour on the wharf in drenching rain to see the ship depart.

The Dutch and British national anthems were played over the ship’s broadcasting system, three cheers were given lor the Dutch, arid those on board responded with cheers for New Zealand. With her side draped with streamers the liner pulled away from the wharf.