CHILDREN FROM SCOTLAND

Southland Times, Issue 24243, 28 September 1940, Page 4

CHILDREN FROM SCOTLAND

PARTY ARRIVES AT WELLINGTON GOOD BEHAVIOUR ON VOYAGE THREE CHEERS FOR NEW HOMES (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 27. Laughing, shouting and singing as the liner berthed, the first official party of British children to arrive in New Zealand under the Government scheme for the evacuation of youngsters from the danger zone to the Dominions reached Wellington today. With the implicit faith of childhood they gave three cheers for their . new homes as the steamer drew in to the wharf.

There were 89 altogether—37 girls and 52 boys—in charge of a school mistress, six escorts and two nursing sisters. All came from Scotland. Between 30 and 40 were coming to friends or relations by whom they had been nominated; the remainder are to be billeted for the duration of the war with foster-parents who had offered them homes in response to the appeal issued a few months ago. These ones did not, of course, know to whom they were going or what their destiny would be. The steamer’s rail was lined with laughing young faces as they came alongside. Among them, evidently finding it difficult to keep pace with all the questions, were to be seen the Director of Education, Dr C. E. Beeby, the superintendent of child welfare, Mr J. R. McClune, and Mr A. G. Harper, of the Overseas Children’s Reception Committee, who had met the vessel in the stream. POPULAR RATING A young but heavily bearded R.N.V.R. rating, who was an apparent favourite with the children, was festooned with young admirers as he pointed out the sights. The children waved eagerly down at strangers on the wharf. “Oooh, look! There’s a real Maori,” was one of the first audible remarks.

Then they hailed their new land with three hearty cheers and raised a cheery chorus as the liner moored.

Among the first to welcome them were the Mayor and Mayoress of Wellington, Mr and Mrs T. C. A. Hislop, the United Kingdom High Commissioner, Sir Harry Batterbee, the Mayor of Lower Hutt, Mr J. W. Andrews, and the president of the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association, Colonel A. Cowles.

In charge of the children was Miss Jean Johnson, of Glasgow, head mistress of a children’s school there before she undertook this form of national service. She will return immediately to England for a further batch. One of the two nursing sisters was Sister E. McLauchlan, who went away from New Zealand with the main body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force to the Great War. She had not been back to New Zealand since 1920.

Miss Johnson said the children had behaved extremely well on the voyage. There had been practically no trouble except very slight seasickness for a few days at the outset from which the children had quickly recovered. The children could not have behaved better. She had never known such a bright, happy lot of kiddies. The members of the ship’s company were “simply daft” about them and she herself was breaking her heart at the thought of parting with them. GAMES AND LESSONS The main task on the voyage was to keep the children occupied. They had games, lectures and English and geography lessons, physical training, ballet and cabaret dancing and community singing. They were all sent to bed at 6.30 nightly. In the tropics all slept on deck. The children were encouraged as far as possible to look after themselves; they did their own washing and ironing, girls and boys alike. The discipline appeared to be strict, but anything but oppressive, as was evident from the alacrity with which Miss Johnson’s least word was obeyed. The children had the ship practically to themselves for the greater part of the voyage. There was only a handful of other passengers. The children were mainly from Glasgow and Edinburgh in almost equal proportions, but there were some from Greenock, Kerrymuir and Aberdeen. They ranged in age from Sally Emmett, of Edinburgh, aged 15, to Warner Lamb, of the same city, just 5. The largest family comprised four sisters from Greenock. Thirteen-year-old Lillian Burder acted as “mother” to her younger sisters, Lorna, aged 5, Rose, aged 8, and Margaret, aged 11. They are going to live with friends at Miramar, Wellington. MAYOR’S WELCOME Hardly had shore folk boarded the vessel than a bell rang for dinner. High tea, the children called it. They stood, eyes tightly shut, to chant a very charming grace; then stood at Miss Johnson’s word to greet their visitors. The Mayor’s baby daughter, Susan, attending her first official reception, had tea with them. Six five-year-old children shared a special low table furnished with diminutive chairs. The children were welcomed to New Zealand by the Mayor, who addressed them briefly as they had tea. As the mouthpiece of the citizens of Wellington he assured them how pleased everyone was to see them here safe and well. With all their hearts they wished to give them new and happy homes in New Zealand as long as the war should last. He noticed they were from Scotland; he could hear the Scottish burr in their voices well. His own ancestors and those of many New Zealanders came from Scotland, so they would find themselves among fellow countrymen.

“God bless you all, and we are very glad to see you,” said the Mayor. “I hope we shall see a lot more of you after this.”

The children applauded vociferously and thanked him for his welcome with more cheers. Afterwards they swarmed round their visitors, very friendly and anxious to learn what they could of their new homeland. They were eager to see New Zealand coins and keen to “swop” their own for the new sort until told they would be the loser by the deal.

New arrivals were greeted with, “Have you a New Zealand threepence, Mister? Let’s have a look at it. What are those things on the tailside? Look, this ’un has a bird on it. That’s a kiwi and there’s a Maori crouching down with his spear.” All the children wore identification disks round their necks and some had

evacuation labels in their lapels like parcels for post. Kilts and tartan skirts were numerous. HEALTH AND HAPPINESS They were a brown, jolly, healthy and happy looking lot of youngsters; very friendly, not at all shy, but extremely thrilled at arriving in a new country and extremely excited at all the important persons who had come to meet them, for soon after tea there came on board the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hoffi P. Fraser, the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parry, the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, the Minister of National Service, the Hon. R. Semple, and his associate Minister, the Hon. D. Wilson, the Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. C. Webb, the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Adam Hamilton, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, a member of the War Cabinet, Mr S. G. Holland, M.P., and Mr J. W. Heenan, Under-Secretary of the Internal Affairs Department. The occasion was quite informal; the Ministers chatted with the childrep and were photographed in happy groups with them.

“Is that the Prime Minister?” asked one little boy. “Coo, Jimmy, there’s the Prime Minister. Say, who’s the big fair man next to him? Oh! Is he really a detective? Hey, Jimmy, there’s a real detective. Look, Bill, there’s a detective. I say, where’s his gun? Oh! Don’t they have guns in New Zealand?” It was obvious who stood highest in childhood’s scale of hero-worship. The Wellington contingent and those for the rest of the North Island slept on board the ship tonight. The South Island children were to leave for the south tonight. The Palmerston North, Masterton and Hamilton parties will be sent up country tomorrow, and it is hoped that many of the children will reach their new homes tomorrow. Those who cannot will be taken to children’s institutions, which ’ are to be used as clearing stations.