FIVE HUNDRED GUESTS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 156, 28 March 1939, Page 10

FIVE HUNDRED GUESTS

Luncheon Reception Aboard Dominion Monarch

TRIBUTE TO SHIPPING COMPANY Some 500 leading citizens of Wellington were the guests of the Shaw, bavin and Albion Co. at luncheon yesterday on board the luxury liner Dominion Monarch. Among those present were Cabinet Ministers and Parliamentarians, members of the judiciary, heads of shipping companies, port and Government officials, and prominent business men. They were regaled with caviare and champagne. Captain W. H. Hartman, master ot the Dominion Monarch, welcomed the guests and expressed his appreciation of the honour conferred on him by the company in entrusting to him tins hue vessel. The arrival of the Dominion Monarch in New Zealand undoubtedly marked an epoch in New Zealand shipping history. The Minister of Marine, Mr. Fraser, replied on behalf ot the guests. . ... t vii. The mayor ot Wel hug ton, Au. Hislop, said that the Shaw- Savill Company was the senior company trading on the New Zealand coast in point of view of years, if not hitherto in the size of its ships. However, in that respect also it would now assume senior place. It was also the first company to have carried refrigerated cargo from New Zealand when in 1881 tjje sailing ship Dunedin went Home with a cargo of some 5090 carcases of frozen meat. Today at every voyage the great .modern freighters carried some quarter of a million careases every time they went Home full to the Old Country. The story of the company, he said, had not been one of easy progress over the course of 89 years, it had experienced gnat trials and difficulties, but its future was in the hands of men ot great determination and courage, who in times of crises did not hold up bands in horror, or run for Government assistance, or start to get out of business, but simply went on putting into effect the policy on which they had determined, and were so able to meet all emergencies. As chairman of directors of the Centennial Exhibition Company, the mayor said that the Shaw Savill and Albion, together with other shipping companies, had taken 5000 shares in the exhibition as well as a large area of space. The people of the Dominion would have the chance of seeing for themselves material evidence of what the shipping companies had achieved. It was a splendid gesture from companies not obliged, as were the people of this country. to .see the venture through. The New Zealand manager of the S.S. and A. Company said that the occasion was unique in that so many supreme heads of great shipping companies were present, ft might never be repeated. The purpose of I lie Dominion Monarch was. he thought, not perhaps fully understood by the general public. She was a dual purpose vessel. She was first a unit in the New Zealand fleet of refrigerated and general cargo carriers, and tlie equivalent of the largest of such vessels. At the same time she was among the highest class of passenger liners in the British Empire. Her advent should prove a valuable fillip to the much-needed service to South Africa, reducing the passage from South Africa to Fremantle to less than 9J days. The Dominion Monarch will be open to public inspection between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday. A collection in aid of seamen’s societies will be taken. (Picture on page 7.)