NEW NAVAL CREWS

Hokitika Guardian, 4 November 1931, Page 6

NEW NAVAL CREWS

v.;. ARRIVALS BY RUAHINE

AUCKLAND, November 1

Nearly 200 smiling Jack Tars leaned over the rails of the Ruahine as she steamed into the harbour this morning on completion of her voyage, from Southampton. The picture of health and. bristling with good humour, • they cheered as the vessel put in to Queen's Wharf and shouted good-natured witticisms to the crowd that gathered to watch the steamer berth.

A happier and merrier lot of sailois never touched foot on the shores ol the Waitemata, for the voyage nau been an extremely pleasurable one, and it was a beautiful summer’s day. The men, under the command of Commander R. Ramsbotkam, who is to take over the command of H.M.S. Laburnum from Commander E. C\ ;Hptharn, are new crews for the Laburniim and her sister ship Vcijontca, and they dre commencing three years ser-vice-''oh'the New Zealand station. Many of them have aiVeady served on foreign naval stations, and a few of them are coming hack voluntarily to spend another three years in New Zealand waters. - . ' Crossibg- the line the Jack Tars pnitioipatdffin. the time-honoured, ceremony attached to a visit trom N' n b iNeptunej masqueraded by the Ch'et officer, #J. P. Styrin. ; • Much 7 akusement "was occasioned . by. the appearance of the New Zealand cricketbri in the role of policemen and bears,V-and any victims of the court s 'sentence that got into their hanJs was well and,.-.tru.'y ducked in the canvas swimming bath, which was the instrument of punishment. , .. . Neptune’is wife was impersonated by the New Zealand cricket captain, T. C. Lowry, and C. S. Dempster was the doctor. Many of the passengers were victims of their assumed ferocity.