NAMED AFTER N.Z.

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 192, 12 May 1944, Page 6

NAMED AFTER N.Z.

Victory Ship Launched By Mrs. Nash “May New Zealand Victory and he'splendid crew always have God s blessing and protection 1" With these words, Mrs. IV. Nash, wife of the New Zealuiu. Minister to Washington, named a 10,500-ton Victory ship in honour of New Zealand shortly before it slid down the ways of the California Shipbuilding Corporation, at Wilmington, California, in March. The ship was the first Ameri-can-built vessel to bear the name of New Zealand in this war. In a 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 hejiru the voice of Mr. Nash, recorded before his departure for London, bid the NewZealand Victory "good luck ami tair weather” as she took her place in a line of vessels whose traditions, he said, were "among the most inspiring iu the annals of the sea.” The New Zealand Victory was built in 55 days, her keel having beeu lan January 25. She is the sixth of 84 Victory vessels for which the Culship yards hold contracts and the 340th ship launched from the yards during the war. It has not yet been disclosed whether she will make her maiden voyage to the South Pacific and New Zealand, but yard officials indicated that it was possible,