"DO YOU REMEMBER ?”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 764, 10 September 1929, Page 9

"DO YOU REMEMBER ?”

FAMENOTH SHIPMATES’ REUNION GOLDEN JUBILEE YESTERDAY Fifty years ago yesterday, a stout sailing ship under a full spread of canvas swung into the calm waters of the Waitemata, and little groups of* people clustered round the deck caught their first glimpse of Auckland, and the land of their adoption. r J'HE vessel was the Famenotb, 102 days out from Plymouth, England, with some 400 passengers who were to settle in the Dominion. The golden jubilee of the ship's arrival on September 9, 1579, was celebrated yesterday afternoon by a unique gathering of shipmates of the voyage, reunited for the first- time since landing in New Zealand. Many were the hearty handshakes exchanged among those 42 or more former shipmates, with the inevitalfie question, ‘Do you remember?” Shipboard acquaintances and friendships were renewed and cemented in the flow of reminiscence that followed. Strangely enough it was the singing of the rollicking "Nancy Lee” —the favourite song with which Captain Auld used to entertain the passengers—that intangibly bound participants in the reunion even closer together. Organised by Mrs. A. Sullivan, the reunion, held in Miss Aitkenhead’s tearooms, Park Road, was so pronounced a success that it was generally agreed to endeavour to hold an annual function in future. Fully 60. including members of families of shipmates of the Famenoth, attended the reunion. Mr. R. B. Todd presided. “I am sure I am expressing the sentiments of all in saying we are glad to meet again—some for the first time in 50 years,” declared the chairman. The reunion, he asserted, proved that the spirit of comradeship and friendship engendered on that three months' voyage still endured. Few people realised the sacrifice it meant to leave the Old Country, with its family ties, old associations, friendships and traditions; it required more than the ordinary amount of courage to make the venture. His lasting impression of the trip to New Zealand was the sympathetic and kind treatment of the pas- I sengers, and particularly the children, ; b> v the skipper. Captain Auld. Mr. Todd concluded by bestowing warm praise upon Airs. Sullivan for her ; happy inspiration and efforts in organ- ; ising the reunion. The fact that the idea of the re- i union had really emanated from a Press reference to his recent golden wedding was mentioned by Mr. J. W. Lemmon. He added that the pub- . lished account had mentioned the name ! j of Captain Auld. and the reunion had really been developed following a dis- { oussion of old times. NEAR MASSACRE In the interesting exchange of reminiscence round the table, the story told by Mr. T. J. Rogers of the "near massacre” of Europeans at Te Awamutu about 1881 was the most entertaining. Within a week of landing from the Famenoth, he related how he took a job at Te Awamutu, on the boundary of the confiscated country. At the time King Tawhiao, principal chief of the ‘ Waikato, was a refugee in the King Country, having remained there from about i BC4. The Maori chieftain was finally induced by the Government to return to the Waikato, and about 1881, with a large party of followers. he marched out and surrendered a large quantity of arms, but not all. Nearing Te Awamutu, King Tawhiao's party j was met with great solemnity by the i armed constabulary brass band, and i was played into the town to the tune | of "King of the Cannibal Islands.” I Learning later of the joke on him, the natives became so incensed that the j town was in a simmer of excitement I throughout the night. It was only by ; good fortune that there was not a masj sacre that night, added the speaker, j A birthday cake bearing 50 lighted - candles was a prominent feature of the ! table decorations. J The proceedings were enlivened with I several vocal and elocutionary items, i among which the song "Nancy Lee” was highly popular, the guests joining ' in the chorus with enthusiasm. | The function concluded with the | singing of "Auld Lang Syne.”