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Navy lark comes off, all guns blazing

Hawke's Bay Today (15 February 2006)

For last night's Mission with The Navy black-tie dinner the ingredients were perfect.

Crisp uniforms, black ties and gowns, elegance and style, a balmy evening and wonderful music.

That added up to what Mission Estate Winery chief executive officer Peter Holley described as an evening of "absolute magic".

"It was extraordinary in many ways...a special moment in time," he said.

It was an evening of dignity, entertainment, colour and poignancy, especially so when Ken Scadden, former curator of the Wellington Maritime Museum, delivered a thoughtful and touching speech in tribute to the way the navy responded to Hawke's Bay's needs in the wake of the disastrous 1931 earthquake.

The navy, of course, was very prominent at the evening, staged on the lawns and under the stars of the Mission Estate.

There was a naval officer at every glittering table, and the navy band provided top-class tunes to accompany the top-class wines, meals and conversation.

And there was even a light-hearted international nave flavour...of sorts...in the form of Art Deco stalwart Max Patron's grandly attired German submariner.

About 250 people attended the evening, with Mr Holley paying tribute to the work of Napier's navy liaison officer, Lieutenant Commander Neville Smith.

"They took a bit of a punt on this," he said of the decision to stage the evening outdoors.

"And it worked."

He said the success of the last night's event, and the glowing feedback received from those who attended, meant the chances of it becoming an annual event on the social calender were high.