"THE SHIP WAS CHEERED”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 544, 22 December 1928, Page 7

"THE SHIP WAS CHEERED”

MILFORD’S PIRATES WEIGH ANCHOR SHIPPE PRIVATELY OPENED Imagine a full dress rehearsal of the Pirates of Penzance conducted in a setting no theatrical company could hope to emulate; imagine a merry company of very amateur buccaneers, piratical maids-of - allwork and appropriately garbed musicians: everything, in fact, save the Policemans’ Chorus. One could then glimpse some idea of the appearance of “Ye Old Pirate Shippe” at the christening held at Milford last evening. Mr. C. R. Pettit, manager of the •Shippe,” received the guests of the Milford Amusement Company who were then shown round the Southern Hemisphere's most remarkable cabaret. At 8.30 the “Shippe’s” bell was sounded and the guests called together on the lower dance floor for the official ceremony. The Hon. E. W. Alison, chief pirate, welcomed the guests on behalf of the pirate chiefs, the Marauding Buccaneers and the Pirate Crew. He traced the history of piracy through the ages from the early Phoenicians, the Vikings and Elizabethan seadogs to the latest expression of piracy—“Ye Old Shippe,” in which the company was assembled. Mr. Alison credited Mr. Pettit with being the originator of this novel amusement scheme and told how, with the cooperation of Mr. C. S. Green, the promotor of the Milford Amusements Company, and Mr. Alleman, the architect, a nebulous scheme had grown to reality in less than three months. The Chief Pirate then outlined the policy of the directors, which was to provide clean and healthy entertainment, in what were admittedly ideal surroundings. The pirates of old were out for plunder, but the pirates who owned “Ye Old Pirate Shippe” would endeavour to provide entertainment for all those who boarded their vessel at reasonable prices and would have the ship conducted in a manner that would meet with the approval of all reasonable and right-minded people. “Though the ship is hard and fast,” said Mr. Alison, “many of those on board will soon be seen sliding and gliding in their own ways, and dancing and bounding with marcel waves and in various rigs, on both the lower and upper deck.” Mr. Alison then declared the cabaret open and a salute of six “guns” was fired by Mr. Pettit, each piece of ordnance discharging showers of parcelled novelties on to the heads of the crowd below, * GOING TO THE DEVIL Criticism of such an institution %s “Ye Olde Pirate Shippe” was inevitable, according to Mr. J. Williamsfen, Mayor of Takapuna, but. under the directors’ capable management, it would soon disappear. “One of my councillors was good enough to tell me the other day that I was letting things go to the devil,” continued Mr. Williamson. “I see that I am in very good company.” Mr. E. A. Aldridge, Mayor of Devonport, said that he sympathised with Mr. Williamson over his letting things go to the devil, but he was more concerned over where the pirates kept their pieces of eight. In the opinion of Mr. Alex. Harris, M.P. for Waitemata, the “Shippe” was an acquisition to Milford and Takapuna and should make the district go ahead. Mr. Harris wished the venture every success. ROUND THE “SHIPPE’' As far as is possible, without departing from its primary purpose as a cabaret, the “Shippe” is a faithful copy of the ships in which such men as Kidd and Morgan once roamed the Spanish Main. The exterior of the vessel is most striking, whether seen in daylight or bedecked with the thousand twinkling lights that illuminate it in the evening. It is built exactly like an old galleon with a high poop surmounted by immense lanterns. Towering masts and rows of small windows with the appearance of gunports complete the effect. Boarding the vessel one comes to the main dancing floor, where is the band—“Ye Versatile Pirates”—as picturesque > a set of ruffians as one could wish for. but certainly excellent musicians. Round the walks are heraldic shields, while an attractive lighting scheme is_ based on the use of old horn lanterns On this deck are the entrances to the men’s and women’s dressing rooms called the “Armoury” and the “Powder Magazine” respectively. The next deck is furnished with tables and a set of deep cubicles is on either side. The ceiling on this deck is supported by heavy beams. Up the stairs to the upper dancing deck, which is practically in open air, being covered by a striped awning, the music steals up from the lower deck through two skylights. Here the nautical flavour is even more apparent, neat coils of rope being on view, and glimpses of the sea through the rigging adding to the effect. One can hardly fail to be impressed with .the remarkable attention to detail which has provided that even the cutlasses and pistols on the walls on the lower deck should be true to period. On yet another deck, on the poop, supper is served in the open air. The dancing floors have been carefully laid and it is claimed that there are none better in the Auckland district. Both floors are suspended on rubber buffers to give the necessary resiliance and there is accommodation for 300 couples. During the evening exhibitions of the Blues and Waltz were given by Mr. Alexander R. Howard and Miss Zenia Sassoon. Miss Sassoon is a cousin of Sir Phillip Sassoon, Britain’s Under-Secretary for Air, and is well known in London and Paris as a ballroom dancer of great talent. Mr. Howard has danced in London, Paris, Monte Carlo, Nice and Cannes, and he and Miss Sassoon, who were finalises in the world’s star professional dancing championship in 1925. are opening a dancing school in Auckland early in the New Year. There will be a public opening on the same lines as last evening’s function to-night. *