AKAROA ARRIVES

Chronicle (Levin), 9 March 1946, Page 3

AKAROA ARRIVES

■Press Asscciation

- — * WAR BRIDES ABOARD

By Telegraph—

.ci.UU-lYJLAjN.JD, Mareh 8. "It was an exceptioually happy trip and they were the best crowd 1 liave had on board, " said Captain W. ^H. Haitman when tbe Sliaw, Savill and Albion vessel Akaroa arrived froro England with 208 passengers, including 92 women and children, wh'o are the wives, dependants and fiancees of New Zealand Servicemen. The . composition of the group was: Army, 21 wives, one fianeee and two children; Navy, 20 wives and four children; Air Foree, 35 .vives, one fianeee and eight children. The weather was excellent during the voyage, said Captain Hartman, who was formerly marine superintendent at Wellington for the company and who was awarded the O.B.E. for meritorious sea serviee in the Mereliant Navy during the war. He was master of the 27,155 ton motor-liner Doininion Monarch on its maiden trip in 1939. The Akaroa may truly be regarded as a New Zealand ship. Thonsands of i Doininion Servicemen travelled on her I during the war. At the head of the j staircase is a photograph of the Banks Peninsula town^and port whose name she bears. Tn addition, is a Maori carving donc by Captain Hartman himself, wliich graces another stairway. Tt is set in a red, wliite and blue "V." sign and the letters R.N Z.A.F. underneath comniemorate the time the Akaroa took New Zealand airmen to Engiland for training in 1940.