Told At 12.45 a.m. "Come To N.Z. Now!"

Chronicle (Levin), 17 January 1949, Page 2

Told At 12.45 a.m. "Come To N.Z. Now!"

WELLINGTON, Jan. 15. A friendship begun with a New Zealand soldier during the First World War resulted in a fornier London policeman, klr. A. F. Bass, being roused from his bed at 12.45 o'cloclc oue morning and beirig tolcl that, if he. could pack and be at the Atlantis by 9, he could come to New Zealand inimediately. "It was an awful scramble, " - said ilr. Bass when he arrived yesterday, "but I.just made it.' \ Mr. Bass became friendlv with the late Mr. Charlie Tliomas, wlio lived near Dunedin, when he was serving as a soldier during tlie First World War, and kept up a coiistaiit correspondence with him on liis return to New' Zettland. When the last war broke out Mr. :Thomas sent a number of New Zealand servieemen to* visit Mr. and Mrs. Bass at theif" Stratford, London, E15, home. Oue of then), Mr. L. II. Eden, 93 Avenue Road, Foxton, married Mr. Bass's elder daughter, who came to the Domigion- about three years ago, Following that the former policeman 's son arrived under the Govern-ment-assisted settlement scheme last year, aud is now worlcing as a miner in Reefton. Las year, Mr. Bass's younger daughter, Alinc, aged 19, was accepted as a Government-sponsored settler and was given a berth on the Atlantis en route to the Wellington Public Ilospital, vvliere slie vvill* vvork as a ward maid. Mr. and Mrs. Bass decided to follow their children to the Dominion. Because of the fog which enveloped London for a week before the Atlantis sailed, and which prevented some of the passengers reaching the sliip, Mrs. Bass was able to accept oue of the unli'lled berths two days before the sliip sailed. Late on the night before the Atlantis left London, New Zealand officials on the sliip foimd there was oue more vacancy in tlie men's qnarters, ana, liiring a fast car, rushed off to advise Mr. Bass to begin packing immediately.