H.M.N.Z.S. Pukaki's Visit

One Tuesday afternoon last month, hundreds of boys anxiously fidgeted at their school desks. Their anxiety was caused by the knowledge that H.M.N.Z.S. Pukaki was berthing in the harbour. When school dismissed, they rushed to the wharf and gazed wistfully at the ship. Eight bells struck, and the "liberty men" fell in on the quarter deck for inspection by the Officer of the Watch. All being to his satisfaction, they went ashore to explore the city. The boys continued their wide-eyed watch. Coxswain T. Denny could stand it no longer. Turning to the duty officer he begged permission for them to go aboard. It was granted. There was a sudden rush, and in less than a minute, every gun had been manned by the boys. Gisborne was quickly shot to ruins with extra bursts of fire in the general direction of schools. Then they looked around the ship.

Visits to Gisborne by naval vessels seem all too rare. More calls here would probably stimulate enlistments which are reported to be down on last year. On this trip, the Pukaki carried 16 boy trainees from H.M.N.Z.S. Tamakl.

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With the ship's company on stand-by, fore and aft, the Pukaki steams past the breakwater

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Four workers watch from an opening high in the wall of the Gisborne Refrigerating Company's meatworks.

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Captain I. H. McRae, harbourmaster, supervised the berthing.

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First contact with the shore is a heaving line