Auckland Star, 24 December 1906 NOTES FROM LONDON
The Shaw-Savill steamer Gothic, which has been completely overhauled and renovated since the recent fire in her interior, left London to-day (16 November) for New Zealand, via South Africa and Hobart; due about 1st January

Evening Post, 27 December 1906 GOTHIC AT HOBART
Cable advice received by the local agents of the Shaw-Savill Company states that the Gothic from London and Capetown, arrived at Hobart at 9 o'clock this morning. The vessel is expected to reach Wellington on Tuesday morning. She will sail at seven in the morning for Wellington. She has twenty passengers for Australia and three hundred for New Zealand

Evening Post, 31 December 1906 DUE AT WELLINGTON
The Shaw-Savill steamer Gothic, from London via Capetown and Hobart, passed Farewell Spit at 12.25 p.m. this afternoon, The vessel is due here about 7.15 to-night

Star, 1 January 1907 ARRIVED IN WELLINGTON
WELLINGTON, arrived, 10.15 p.m., 31st January, the s.s Gothic from London
The Shaw Savill liner Gothic, from London, via Capetown and Hobart, arrived at Wellington on Monday night. Captain BARTLETT, who was in command of the Gothic on her last visit to New Zealand, has been succeeded by Captain W. Finch, R.N.R., late of the San Francisco-Japan liner Doric, and with him are the following officers:-
CHIEF - Mr W. LOBEZ (late of the Doric)
FIRST - Mr G. MORGAN (late of the Corinthic)
SECOND - Mr J. A. HOLLAND
THIRD - Mr S. E. STUBBS
FOURTH - Mr T. RICHARDSON
PURSER - Mr A. Percy TAYLOR (late of the North Atlantic line)
SURGEON - Dr W. G. ROBERTSON
The Gothic has 6000 tons of general cargo to discharge at Wellington and should arrive at Lyttelton during next week.

Evening Post, 8 January 1907 ARRIVED IN LYTTELTON
Arrived - Gothic, 7.45 a.m. from Wellington. It is understood that on completing discharge of her London cargo, will lay up at Lyttelton for a few weeks.

The Shaw-Savill steamer Gothic, due from London about 1st January, is bringing a total of 281 passengers, 58 being first-class and 223 third class. The largest booking are for Wellington 71, Auckland 59, and Lyttelton 47. The following passengers for New Zealand ports:-
Mr W. ANDERSON (for Auckland)
Mrs C. E. ANDERSON
Miss ANDERSON
Miss R. ANDERSON

Mr E. ANDREWS (for Lyttelton)
Mrs ANDREWS
Mr W. ANDREWS
Mr W. ANDREWS
Miss A. ANDREWS

Miss L. BARKER or BACHER (for Auckland)

Mr S. W. BUCK (for Auckland)
Miss BUCK
* Mr S. W. Buck and daughter, Miss F. Buck, of Ponsonby, arrived in Wellington by the s.s. Gothc on Monday, from London, and leave for Auckland, via East Coast, per s.s. Waikare on Sunday next.
- Sydney William BUCK (1854-1927) married Grace McKENZIE (1858-1950) in 1880 and had 5 children (4 daughters). Frances Harriett Buck (1885-1951) was their 3rd born and she married William Henry Anderson in 1917

Mr H. H. CHERITON (for Lyttelton)
* Henry Hopping Cheriton

Mr H. M. DALSON probably DALSTON(for Auckland)
* Norman Howard Maxwell Dalston who married fellow passenger (& cousin), Marguerite Maxwell Mason later that year - see Social Notes below
He served as Captain with the Medical Corps WWI at the NZ Military Hospital, Walton, England and was awarded MBE, SSW (Brought to the Notice of the Secretary of State for War)

Mr H. DAVIES (for Auckland)

Mr A. G. DOLDEN (for Wellington)

Mr & Mrs H. EDWARDS (for Oamaru)

Mr G. L. A. FIELD (for Hobart)

Mr F. P. GARNETT (for Auckland)

Miss GERSE (for Wellington)
* Mrs Luxford and Miss Gerse, of Sedgbrook, who have been on a visit to the Old Country and the Continent, returned home this week after a most enjoyable trip.

Mr & Mrs J. GRESHAM and 2 son (for Oamaru)

Dr. T. O. & Mrs GUTHRIE (for Lyttelton)
Miss GUTHRIE
* Dr T. O. Guthrie, a retired surgeon at one time in practice in Christchurch, and Mrs and Miss Guthrie returned after a trip to England

Mr M. HOLLINS (for New Plymouth)
Miss K. HOLLINS

Sergt-Major & Mrs JONES (for Wellington)
* Staff Sergeant-Major Jones, the newly appointed infantry instructor for this portion of the district will arrive in Nelson this morning to commence his duties. Sergt Major Jones went to England a few months back on account of ill health, but returned to Wellington by the Gothic on New Year's Day.

Miss A. KERR (for Lyttelton)

Mr A. KUCH (for Wellington)

Mr & Mrs J. W. LAMBERT and son (for Auckland)
* Among the passenger will be one of the survivors of the ill-fated ship 'Pitcairn Island' namely, Mr. C. Lambert. His comrade, W. W. Waddilove, has been sent back to the colony by the s.s. Oswestry Grange which sailed from Liverpool this week

Mr C. LINDSAY (for Bluff)
Mr R. LINDSAY

Mr & Mrs W. R. LUNN (for Auckland)

Mrs LUXFORD and son (for Wanganui)
* Mrs Luxford and Miss Gerse, of Sedgbrook, who have been on a visit to the Old Country and the Continent, returned home this week after a most enjoyable trip.

Miss M. M. MASON (for Wellington)
* Marguerite Maxwell Mason who married her fellow passenger (and cousin) later that year, Norman Howard Maxwell Dalston - see Social Notes below

Mr J. & Mrs MASTERS and 2 sons

Miss N. METCALFE (for Auckland)

Rev C. A. MOUNT (for Nelson)
* The Rev. C. A. Mount, of Vancouver, who in touring the world for the benefit of his heart, was a passenger from London by the Gothic

Mr F. E. PEARCE (for Hobart)

Mrs K. PEERS (for Wellington)

Mr and Mrs W. H. PRATT (for Lyttelton)

Mr A. M. RAMSAY (for Lyttelton)

Mr & Mrs W. T. SCOTT (for Port Chalmers)

Mr J. S. SIM (for Lyttelton)

Mr L. E. STRONG (for Bluff)

Miss J. TAYLOR (for Auckland)

Mr TOLLEY (for Lyttelton)

Miss A. W. WHITELAW or WHITLAW (for Auckland)
* Among the saloon passengers in the Gothic the name of Miss A. Whitelaw, M.A., will be noticed. She is on her way to Auckland to enter upon her new scholastic duties. The new headmistress of the Auckland Girls' High School, joined the vessel at Plymouth. She had a great send-off from Wycombe Abbey School, on the staff of which she has been for the past eight years as chief mathematical mistress and house tutor. The headmistress, in her address on Speech Day at Wycombe Abbey, referred to Miss Whitelaw's departure in the following terms: "Sorry as we shall be to lose Miss Whitelaw from this country, we cannot but congratulate her on finding work among her own friends and her own people. I am quite sure it will not be long before we shall hear from the other side of the world how much Miss Whitelaw is appreciated in Auckland." The new headmistress has been the recipient of a great many presents on the occasion of her departure from the country.

Mrs Amy Susanne WOOD (for Wellington)
- Amy Susanne nee Shortt married Reginald Henry Wood in 1904
* Mr W. F. Shortt, of Muritai, received a cable message this morning from his daughter, Mrs R. H. Wood, stating that she arrived at Capetown by the Gothic yesterday (9 Dec 1906) en route to New Zealand. Mrs Wood's husband was chief engineer of H. M. S. Lizard at the time of his marriage, and he is now attached to the Minerva, of the Mediterranean fleet. Mrs Wood will remain in the colony for two years.
* Mrs R. H. Wood, only daughter of Mr W. F. Shortt, arrived from Engalnd on a visit to her father. Her husband, Engineer-Lieutenant Wood, is now with H.M.S. Minerva at Crete.

Mr & Mrs F. J. WRIGLEY (for Auckland)
- Mr and Mrs Wrigley, of Hawera, are returning to the colony by the Gothic. They have had a six months' holiday travelling about the British Isles and on the Continent.

and 226 third-class passengers, including the following for Wellington:-
Misses:
N. BRIDGE
CLAPPERTON (4)
DALE
C. DOUN
L. DRESSER
M. J. KEITH
KILBY (2)
LANDERS (3)
E. ROGERS
ROSS
C. SCOTT
M. A. SHERIDAN
SHEWAN
E. WAINWRIGHT
Mesdames
CLAPPERTON
DALE
E. DEWS
A. KILBY
LANDERS
ROSS
SHEWAN
SIMS
WOOD
Messrs
W. ANGUS
H. P. BARGH
H. J. BYFORD
J. E. CLAPPERTON
G. CLAPPERTON
A. DALE
G. FERGUSON
R. GOODALL
E. A. HAMMOND
B. HOLROYD
G. KEITH
C. KIRK
J. LUKE
C. LAMBERT
A. P. LAUNDERS
J. McKEON
A. E. PARKER
H. PRITCHARD
G. ROSS
A. ROSS
W. L. SIMS
R. J. STARK
H. TIDY
H. THOMSON
WOOD (2)
Masters
CHIPPERTON (4)
DALE
ROSS
SEWAN
WOOD

Wellington, January 7 1907 Social Notes
Everyone is too limp to plan entertainments and what amusements there are are only public ones. The Gothic arrived on New Year's Eve, and those who got their first view of New Zealand that evening must have been much impressed. A great yellow harvest moon rose over dim blue hills and the harbor was a sheet of silver, with long golden reflections. The sky was cloudless, and the air was still, and the city with its clustered glow worm lights must have looked beautiful from the big ship's deck. By it arrived, with her uncle Mr Watson, a London solicitor, Miss MASON (Marguerite Maxwell Mason), whose marriage to her cousin Mr Norman DALSTON (Norman Howard Maxwell Dalston), of the New Zealand Times, take place this week. Another passenger was Miss Whitlaw, sister of Mrs J. D. Gray of Wellington, who returned to Auckland, her native city, as Lady Principal of a new college there. Miss Whitlaw studied at Girton, and was a distinguished teacher at Wycombe Abbey College.

NOTES re the arrival of the GOTHIC
* It is understood that Captain W. Finch, formerly of the Atlantic trade, is now in command of the Shaw Savill steamer Gothic

* A number of improvements have been effected in the Shaw Savill steamer Gothic, which arrived from London on Monday evening on her first trip since the disastrous fire which damaged the vessel on her last voyage from New Zealand. The alterations in the passenger accommodation, which were described some time ago, have made a considerable difference in the internal arrangements of the steamer which should now prove more attractive than ever to the travelling public. The vessel brings a total of 301 passengers for New Zealand, 244 being in the third class.

* A third-class passenger by the Gothic from England gave birth to twin daughters during the voyage to Wellington.

* During the voyage a third-class passenger named D. Rodman, booked for Oamaru, died of typhoid fever on Christmas Day. The deceased had been ill for two weeks.

* When the Gothic leaves London she will carry a large party of domestic servants bound for New Zealand, There are between 30 and 40 of them drawn from various parts of the United Kingdom about half of the number being sent out under the auspices of the British Women's Emigration Society. The whole party are receiving the benefit of the reduced fares obtained under the New Zealand Government's immigration scheme - a concession which carries with it the proviso that each assisted immigrant must be approved and passed by the High Commissioner's Department before being allowed to sail. In the 12 months, from June of this year to June of next year, Mr Reeves hopes to send out 250 suitable girls. Though a few domestic servants have been going out to New Zealand a few at a time for some little while past, the present batch is by far the largest which has been despatched. It is hoped that suitable arrangements will be made by the Labour Department for meeting the party on arrival at Wellington, and safeguarding the interests of the girls in their search for employment. Considering the perennial scarcity of domestic servants, there should be no difficulty about finding suitable situations.

* Some dissatisfied Hawke's Bay housewives have been so distressed over their inability to obtain 'helps' that they got in touch with the British Women's Immigration Association and through its agency and the energy of Miss Black, some fifteen young women arrived in Wellington and went on to Hawke's Bay this morning. These girls all come to New Zealand under engagement, and belong principally to the country districts of England, Ireland and Scotland. These girls could be distinguished amongst the swarm of passengers by little knots of purple ribbon worn on the breast, the insignia of the Women's Immigration Associaiton. Altogether there were twenty-seven servant girls on board, 15 for Napier, 6 for Wellington, 2 for Greymouth and 1 each for Auckland, New Plymouth, Lyttelton and Port Chalmers.

* Of the 21 farm labourers who arrived, three are for Auckland, three for Wellington, five for New Plymouth, six for Lyttelton, two for Greymouth, one for Timaru, and one for Port Chalmers.

* A unique ornament is expected to arrive to-morrow by the Gothic in the form of a "bubble fountain" for the Exhibition. It will be worked by gas pressure, and will send up ten thousand bubbles every minute. There is only one other similar fountain in the world. The general manager arranged, through the High Commissioner, to have this one especially for the Exhibition.

* A replica of the sweated industries exhibit prepared by the Daily Mail, and which caused such a stir at Home, has been secured by the High Commissioner (Mr W. P. Reeves) for exhibition in the colony. Advices have been received by the Labour Department that the exhibit will arrive by the Gothic on 1st January. The collection will give a good idea of the great variety of articles manufactured by the sweated labour of women and children. The collection might well be labelled "From Darkest England". It comes from such depths of poverty and misery as only those who know can realise. The proposal is that the articles made by sweated and alien labour shall be exhibited at Christchurch and New Zealand-made articles of the same kind will be shown alongside for purposes of comparison. The exhibit promises to be most interesting and will doubtless attract as much attention in the colony as the original did at Home.

* FOXTON - A pipe organ for All Saints' Church, Foxton, was brought out by the Gothic. Arrangements are being made with a New Zealand expert to erect the instrument. It is hoped that the formal 'opening' may take place about the end of January or early in February.

* GISBORNE - Advice has been received that the material for the new telephone exchange, together with switchboards for the installation of a new system, has arrived in Wellington by the s.s. Gothic. The material is expected to arrive in the course of a few days.

* MASTERTON - Messrs G. Hyde and Co., furnishers and importers, Queen-street, request the public to inspect their window display of bedsteads. They have just unpacked a large parcel per the steamer Gothic and the public are sure of a good deal and value for their money if they make their puchases at this up-to-date shop.

* RESCUE WORK IN MINES, LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS
In August last, at the instance of the Inspector of Mines at Dunedin, the Minister of Mines wrote to the High Commissioner in London (the Hon W. P. Reeves), asking him to institute inquiries in Great Britain and on the Continent as to the most efficient life-saving appliances on the market for rescue work in mines, in view of the recent disaster at the Kaitangata mine through foul air. The reply of the High Commissioner to the communication of the Minister makes interesting reading to those concerned in mining operations. Under date November 3 the High Commissioner states that inquiries were made of the Home Office, with a view to eliciting information possessed by that Department, and it was ascertained that the whole matter was now under investigation by the Royal Commission on mines recently appointed for that purpose. The High Commissioner place himself in communication with Messrs Poebe, Gorman and Co., Wallace Bros., Mr R. Cremer, and Mr R. Jacobsen, who were severally asked if they were willing to lend specimens of the appliances for exhibition at Christchurch in the Model Colliery Court. This they all signified their willingness to do if the Government would pay the cost of the transmission to and from the Exhibition, and insurance out and home, and whilst at the Exhibition, as the cost of these appliances is considerable. The High Commissioner accepted the stipulation and the appliances are now on their way to New Zealand by the steamers Ruapehu and Gothic, due here on December 19 and January 1 respectively. The High Commissioner further stated that the above firms were informed that it is possible that the Government may purchase some of the appliances for trial in the New Zealand mines.

NOTES re the return to England of the GOTHIC
The Gothic will leave Wellington for London, via Monte Video, Rio de Janeiro and Teneriffe on February 28 1907 at 10 a.m. Due in London on the 12th April.
(After delays the Gothic sailed from Wellington 6.10 a.m. 2 March 1907 with about 130 passengers)

* There has been more farewelling over the departure of the Gothic. By it went Mrs Fred. Riddiford, her son and two daughters, who, with Mr and Mrs Will BUNNY, have been staying with Mrs Edward Riddiford at the Hutt for the ten days before they sailed. Mrs Riddiford and her family will probably be away three years. Mr and Mrs C. Y. FELL and their two daughters, Mrs F. O'B. LOUGHMAN, and Mr R. R. ABRAHAM were also passengers. Mrs Riddiford's picturesque new house in Hill-street has been taken by Captain Stewart, of the Pateena.

* Mrs WEST and her three daughters left yesterday by the Gothic for England. Mr and Mrs LITTLEJOHN and their two daughters (Annie and Beatrice) were also passengers by the same boat.

* All the second-class accommodation (there is no first) on the White Star liner Gothic (to sail on the 28th inst.) has been taken up. Among the passengers booked for London by this liner are Dr and Mrs Earl of Wanganui and Mr W. E. A. Slack (the well-known breeder of stud stock) of Palmerston North.

* The Rev William Gray Dixon (1854-1928), of Auckland, will leave for London by the steamer Gothic at the end of February with Mrs Gray Dixon, on a visit to the Old Country. Mr Gray Dixon, who has now been out in Australasia for some 22 years, is going Home to renew acquaintance with old friends and places and expects to be absent from the colony for about seven to nine months. It is possible that the Rev T. Goldie, M.A., of Mountain Cross, Peebleshire, Scotland, will act as locum tenens during his absence. Mr and Mrs Dixon are leaving Onehunga by the Rotoiti on Monday next to join the Gothic in Wellington

* Dr Earle of Wanganui, intends leaving for London by the Shaw-Savill steamer Gothic. He will be accompanied by Mrs Earle.

* By the Gothic leave Mrs Fred. Riddiford and her family, Miss Krull of Wanganui and Mr and Mrs Frank Loughman and Miss Richmond.

* The Hon. Captain Baillie and Mrs Baillie are intending to leave tonight from Picton to Wellington en route for England, Captain Baillie's health has not been very satisfactory of late, and his many friends hope that the voyage will do him good. Mr and Mrs John DEEBLE go Home by the same boat. Mr and Mrs Deeble have taken return tickets and expect to be away for a year. Mrs Deeble intends to keep her Picton friends posted up in regard to her doings in the Old Country.

* Mr W. S. GEORGE, son of Mr George of Messrs George and Kersley, will leave for London in the Gothic at the beginning of the year
- George and Kersley Ltd?s (William Henry Harrison George & Henry Waltor Kersley) Wellington store ?the Economic? (established 1894) appears to have been the first to parade their Santa. In 1905 they invited local boys and girls to come and see ?Mother and Father Christmas? arrive at the railway station. The following year the pair stopped off in the Hutt Valley and Petone en route to the store in Lambton Quay,

* Mr Leslie CHRISTIE, of Wanganui, son of Mr H. F. Christie, sails for London in the Gothic on Thursday. He is going to study medicine at the Edinburgh University
- Allan 'Leslie' Christie (1887-1918) was born in Patea, a son of Henry Flockhart CHRISTIE (1841-1924) & Henrietta Alice BUSH (1855-1940). He served in WWI as Captain 3/2915 with the Medical Corp. His next of kin was listed as his brother Henry Howard Christie of No. 1 N.Z. Gen?eral Hos?pi?tal, Brock?en?hurst, Hamp?shire, Eng?land. Leslie returned to NZ and re?ceived an appointment at Feath?er?ston Camp. He caught in?fluenza there during the Flu Pandemic and died 9 No?v 1918 aged 31. He is buried in Wanganui.

* Mrs F. O'B. & Mr C. A. and Miss Marjorie LOUGHMAN and Miss E. A. HUGHES have booked for the Gothic leaving Wellington 28th February

* Mr and Mrs COLEGROVE and family left by the Rotoiti yesterday to join the Gothic at Wellington

* Mr B. J. FINUCANE of Wellington will leave on a trip to England by the Gothic. He was the recipient of gifts from his fellow employees of Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs and the members of the City Football (Australian) Club, of which he was a vice-president.
- Benjamin James Finucane (1872-1932), popularly known as 'Captain' or 'Cap' was a Printer/Compositor in Wellington. He was a member of St Pat's College first fifteen where he had received most of his education (he was in the Third Class of the Marist Brothers School in 1879). He was the Captain of the Our Boys Football Club in 1890 when they applied for admission into the Rugby Union. After becoming too old to play rugby he took up refereeing and was President of the Referee's Association and of the Working Men's Club. He and his wife Marie/Minna {?} had a son in Wellington, Albert 'Cecil' Finucane (1900-1967). On 1 Aug 1908 they had a son born at Breite Strasse, Stettin, Germany. He died 6 August 1932 aged 60 and is buried Plot 286W, ROM CATH at Karori

* Mr J. FAKE, who has been in the colony for 30 years, fifteen of which have been spent in the Hawera district, is leaving by the Gothic for a trip to the Old Country. The projected visit to extend over twelve months. Mr Fake will be accompanied by his wife. Mr A. J. Fake is to take over his father's business as from the 22nd inst.

* Messrs W. E. A. SLACK and R. P, ABRAHAM of Palmerston North, F. MARSHALL of Feilding and T. ELLERY of Rongotea have booked by the Gothic leaving Wellington on 28th inst.

* Among the passengers on the steamer Gothic, which left Wellington this morning for London were a number of Wanganui-ites including Misses C. ANDERSON, M. KRULL, Mesdames A. BABBAGE, R. C. EARLE, E. MONTGOMERIE, Mr A. L. CHRISTIE and Dr R. C. EARLE

* the s.s. Gothic shipped the following cargo
from Lyttelton
- for London:
9801 carcases of mutton
32,616 carcases of lamb
2031 bales wool
207 casks pelts
270 casks tallow
239 sacks peas
51 casks and kegs casings
31 bales leather
544 boxes butter
1100 boxes kidneys
40 boxes sweetbreads
200 casks premier justice
23 bales skins
6 pkgs sundries
- for Rio:
75 carcases mutton
5 crates hares
1 crate rabbits
- for Monte Video:
40 sacks seed
from Wellington
192 casks tallow
825 bales hemp
1754 bales wool and skins
6416 boxes of butter
1997 crates of cheese
694 cases boned beef
6745 carcases ,utton
6705 carcases land and legs
146 boxes kidneys
182 bags shoulders mutton
38 cases tinned mutton
3 bags legs of mutton
from Patea:
3484 boxes butter
2250 cases cheese
from New Plymouth:
10,526 boxes of butter
1098 cases of cheese
from Dunedin:
40 packages of grass-seed, 4 bags stock food and 2 live sheep for Monte Video & for London 20 boxes butter
from Oamaru:
420 boxes butter for London
from Bluff:
40 boxes butter for London
from Auckland:
3304 boxes butter
90 cases cheese
3 cases furniture
4 boxes gold
An overall total of 24,676 boxes of butter (against 40,000 boxes which were shipped at the same time last year) and 5434 boxes of cheese
The 'Ionic' is bringing 989 cases of apples from Hobart for transhipment to Rio
32 cases of cheese manufactured by the cool cure process under the supervision of Messrs Singleton and Grant, of the Dairying Department, were despatched from the Dalefield factory for shipment by the Gothic. The High Commissioner has been instructed to keep his eye on the consignment and mark its reception in the London market.