ENTHUSIASTIC SCENES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19124, 19 September 1936, Page 4

ENTHUSIASTIC SCENES

SAILING OP NEW LINER DISPLAY AT AUCKLAND (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. Wheu the Union Steam Ship Company's new Tasman liner, the Awatea, left for Sydney at 5 o'clock last evening, she was watched by a crowd of over 2000 people. There were enthusiastic scenes on the wharf, and the display of streamers was one of the, biggest seen at Auckland. No attempt at a record will be made on the Tasman crossing, but the liner is due to arrive at Sydney at 8.10 o'clock on Monday morning. Her time from wharf to wharf if she arrives aacording to the schedule would be two days 13 hours and 40 minutes, an exceptionally fast time which would mean that the vessel would have to average about 20 knots for the crossing. MEANING OF AWATEA . TRANSLATION CORRECTED (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The translation of Awatea, the name of the new Union Steam Ship Company's trans-Tasman liner, is discussed by a newspaper correspondent, who claims that the popular interpretation "eye of the dawn" is incorrect. Awatea, he says, means "broad daylight," and adds that two distinguished speakers at a function aboard the ship, who gave the former meaning to the name, slipped in good company as a former Governor-General made the same mistake at the launching ceremony.

Williams' Maori dictionary gives the meanings of Awatea as "broad daylight" and "middle of the day."