Lawrence was en fete yesterday.
A section of the Parliamentary party, consisting of the Hon. J. Allen, the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, the Hon. Dr Pomare, Messrs W. Nosworthy (Ashburton), D. H. Guthrie (Oroua), C. E. Statham (Dunedin Central), and G. J. Anderson (Mataura), was met at Clarksville by the Reception Committee, headed by the Deputy Mayor of Lawrence (Mr B. W. Winn), and driven in motor cars to Lawrence, where they arrived at a quarter to 2. The Hon. Mr Massey (Prime Minister), the Hon. Mr Fraser, and Mr A. S. Malcolm (Clutha), who travelled by another route from Balclutha, reached the township three-quarters of an hour later.
The new Technical School was opened by Mr Massey at half past 2, a garden party was held in the Domain between 3 o'clock and half-past 4, and a visit was then paid to the mines under the guidance of the Tuapeka Miners' Association.
Several deputations were received and others will be heard this morning. A public meeting was held in the evening, followed by a banquet to the Hon. Mr Allen.
Today the Ministers will leave Lawrence - the Hon. Mr Fraser for Dunedin, en route to Christchurch, and the Prime Minister, the Hon. Mr Allan, the Hon. Mr Rhodes, and Hon. Dr Pomare for Milton, where the day will be spent in attending to public and other matters, Dunedin being reached in the evening.
• Some particularly violent weather was experienced by the steamer Indrapura on the passage from London to Australian and New Zealand ports.
The Indrapura called at Capetown to coal, and it was shortly after resuming her voyage that she encountered the worst of the weather. On October 28 she ran into a violent gale, and the sea was running dangerously high. One immense sea broke over her bows, and, crashing on to the foredeck, swept everything before it.
Ventilators were carried away, sky-lights smashed in, and doors and fittings smashed to splinters. Great volumes of water poured down the companion-way, causing a great deal of confusion amongst the 990 immigrants on board. Fearing a succession of violent seas, Captain Craven put his ship about, and ran before the storm for some time.
The vessel was struck by a hurricane several hours later, and a huge sea broke over the poop, doing considerable damage.
A large deck-house, used as a hospital, was crumpled up, and went overboard in the swirl of waters, accompanied by one of the starboard boats.
Iron rails were torn away, and the woodwork was splintered, while the iron bulkhead of the after deck-house was bulged in nearly a foot by the water.
The storm lasted for two days.
- ODT, 7.12.1912.
