BOISTEROUS SEAS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27058, 18 April 1949, Page 4

BOISTEROUS SEAS

Missionary Ship Delayed KEEN INTEREST IN ARRIVAL In spite of the lateness of the hour and a biting wind that cut in from the sea like a razor’s edge, there was quite a gathering of people, including a large number of children, to witness the arrival and berthing of the London Missionary Society’s ship, John Williams VI, at the Rattray street wharf shortly after six o’clock on Saturday evening.

Dunedin is the vessel’s first port of call since she left Hobart, and all the way she has ■ met with inclement weather, which became progressively worse as she steamed round the Dominion's southern extremity. Due to arrive during mid-morning on Saturday, the- buffetings of wind and wave delayed her, and her brown-skinned Samoan- seamen, who had made the ship fast to' the pier, expressed satisfaction at the completion of this, the first leg of their long journey. In spite of her rough handling by the elements, the John Williams VI looked trim and shipshape as she rested snugly against the wharf. The first tasks when the mooring lines were fast were the granting of pratique by the port medical officer

: The Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, s welcomed the ship to New Zealand ; on behalf of the Government. He . was accompanied by Mr P. G. 1 Con- , nolly, M.P. for Dunedin Central. The . Deputy Mayor, Cr L. M. Wright, wel- ■ comefl the ship on behalf of the city, i the Rev. D. J. D. Hickman on behalf > of the National Council of Churches, ! Bishop Fitchett, the Rev. Mr Graves » (Baptist), the Rev. H. H. Barton, the > Rev. Mr Walsh (Presbyterian Mission), and Major H. A. Goffin (Salvation j Army), who offered a prayer. The t Rev. Frank de Lisle presided at the reception. On Saturday night the-Mayor, Sir ‘ Donald Cameron, and Lady Cameron ’ visited the ship and wished her good

and the clearing of the ship by the Customs authorities. This took some time, and before the formalities were completed- the majority of the sightseers had drifted away. Purchased and refitted largely with the pennies collected from children throughout the world, the John Williams VI received a further gift offering from the children of Dunedin, who have already played their part well. The local ZB station was crowded out with youngsters on Saturday evening during the children’s session. They swarmed out from the studio into the hallway and even crowded the stairs, for the session dealt with the John Williams . And they were not niggardly with their offerings for the ship. A large wooden box which made an ordinary collection box look like a ring case received their gifts in copper and silver coins. This weighty load was carried down to the wharf, and just as the good ship was made fast the lid of the box flew open and a stream of coins cascaded on to the wharf. Luckily, there were no chinks in the planking, and the coins were soon gathered up again. The ship is under the command’ of Captain Stanton Page. There are four other European officers and a crew of 14—all Samoans. Among the passengers are three families of Samoans, and the faces of the women and several of the nine children, who were on deck when the ship was berthed, were wreathed in smiles. Missionary Julipi, who is on board and who is returning home after 47 years’ missionary „work in the Gilberts, speaking of the trip, said it had been extremely rough, with waves sweeping across the decks during the latter part of the journey. It had been very cold, but everyone on board was well. Prior to her departure for the north the John Williams VI will go into dock at Port Chalmers for inspection. More than 1000 visitors went through the ship yesterday afternoon. It was opened to the public from 2 p.m. to 2.30, when it was closed for the official reception, and was open again from 3 p.m. to 4.30. It will be open for inspection to-day between 10 a.m. and noon.

luck. Sir Donald said he hoped the goodwill visit would be an outstanding success^ The personal officer during the trip is the Rev. M. G. Check, who joined the ship yesterday, but he was among those who greeted the ship's personnel upon its arrival on Saturday. He will go with the vessel to the Islands, his ultimate destination being Niue, where he is taking up missonary work.