NEW ZEALAND VICTORY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 May 1944, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND VICTORY

BRIGHT LAUNCHING CEREMONY. SHIP CHRISTENED BY MRS NASH. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WILMINGTON, California. “May New Zealand Victory and her splendid crew always have God’s blessing and protection!” With these words, Mrs Walter Nash, wife of New Zealand’s Minister to Washington, recently christened a newly-built 10,500-ton Victory ship in honour of New Zealand shortly before it slid down the ways of the California Shipbuilding Corporation here. The ship is the first American-built vessel to bear the name of New Zealand in this war. In a colourful launching ceremony witnessed by hundreds of shipyard workers and a small representative group of New Zealanders, Mrs Nash shattered a bottle of champagne against the ship’s bow and heard the voice of Mr Nash, recorded prior to his departure last month for London, bid New Zealand Victory “good luck and fair weather” as she took her place in a line of vessels whose traditions, he said, were “among the most inspiring in the annals of the sea.” “This line of ships which bears the names of the United Nations,” said Mr Nash, “will carry to fighting fronts throughout the world the men and equipment which in ever-growing stream now pours out in every quarter of the globe . . . New Zeaalnd has always claimed to be among the front rank of the democracies in clinging fast to the principles of freedom ahd in introducing new stops toward a fuller life for her people,” Mr Nash said. “These principles and these achievements .will be symbolised whenever* a Victory ship of the United Nations group sails into a foreign port.” The New Zealand Victory, which

will be ready for sea in Jess than a month, was built in 55’ days, her keel having been laid on January 25. She is the sixth of 84 Victory type vessels for which the Calship yards hold contracts and the 340th ship launched from the yards during the present war. It has not yet been disclosed whether she will make her maiden run to the South Pacific and Now Zealand, but yard officials indicated that it was possible. The extent and direction of the first passage will depend upon the shipping firm to which she is allocated. At that time, too, her captain and the crew will be chosen.