A NAVAL EVENING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 261, 28 July 1908, Page 8

A NAVAL EVENING.

SPEECHES BY THE COVERNOR,AND THE PREMIER. ANNUAL MEETING OP THE NAVY LEAGUE. It was a happy thought nn the part of somebody to mako the annual meeting of the; Wellington branch of the Navy League ; tho occasion for an entertainment as pleasant as it was novel. That something unusual was ocourring was evident when tlio flags of Nelson's signal wore observed fluttering from the cupola of tho Town Hall, lit by the searchlights of the Encounter and the Pioneer lying out in the harbour. Within tho ball every seat was filled. Among those present were His Excellency tho Governor (who was accompanied by Captain Lyon, A.D.C.); Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, the Hon. Dr. Findlay, His Worship tho Mayor (Mr. T. W. Hislop), and Mrs. Hislop, Captain Fyler, R.N., of H.M.S. Encounter, and Mrs. Fyler; and officers of H.M.S. Encounter and H.M.S. Pioneer. Tho galleries were occupied chiefly by young folks from the schools, among which tho Navy League has many juvenilo members, and they wero most enthusiastic spectators of tho gymnastic and other displays made by tho men of the Encounter. At tho back of tbo platform was a fine model of the Encounter, which had been specially made' for the purpose by the carpenter and artificers of the cruiser. It was about 7ft. long, and was furnished with miniature guns, from which a saluto was fired on tho arrival of His Excellency the Governor. ' Tho Mount Cool; School Cadijts were lined up in the lobby of tho hall as a guard of honour for Captain Fyler, and when His Excellency the Governor arrived late in tho evening the boys of tho Amokura performed the like duty for him. ADDRESS BY CAPTAIN FYLER, R.N.'. Captain Fyler, of H.M.S. Encounter, iii a short address,, said that the officers and men were extremely pleased to see so largo a gathering, and " from the composition of the audience ho. judged, that the Navy League was doing'an excellent work among the schools and colleges. It could not do too much in impressing upon the. young and others the need for a strong navy and tuo necessity'of maintaining'that navy in a thoroughly efficient stato. The Navy should be so strong that it would never fear'a challenge, for on the Navy depended tho future, and they might even say tho existence of tbo great Empire to which we all belonged. (Applause.) Given tho ships, they might bo quite' sure that in . the'. day. of trial tho sailors would not disappoint them. It had given. ; himgreat pleasuro to see so many members of the League as visitors at Nelson and at this port. It gavo them an insight into the work on board, and tho training and efficiency which wero required. The gunnery of tlio Navy , was now good, but their object was to keep it good, and this could .only be doho by training and study. Discipline, also, had to be very strictly, observed, for although .tho tendency, of modern life was to chafe at restraint, yet they knew that 110 ship could stand the stress of war without.the spirit of honour,.courago, and and this spirit was boraVand bretl of discipline. (Applause.)

THE ENTERTAINMENT, Then followed tho, entertainmont.. programme,' -which ■ was provided' ' entirely by H.M.S. Encounter. Tnero were songs by Mrs.'Fyler, Lieut.' Dihividdy; and Petty Officer Asplet; a step' dance' by. Petty Officor Howlett, a violin solo by Dr. EL A; -Browning, M.A., R.N.,; an exhibition of club and sword swinging by Able Seaman Hunter, and a hornpipe by G.. T. Isbell (boy, Ist. class). A detachment of boys gave a smart and spectacular gymnastic display. Exercises aud contests with'-the bayonets and scientific exhibitions of -boxing were very popular items. The enthusiasm of tho, younger inembors of the audience was intensely vocal, especially during tho, boxing contests. An- orchestra conducted by Mr. Duguid, R.N.,. indicated that the standard of musical attainment on board'the Encounter'is high. . During a short interval in the programme, 1 tho business of the annual • meeting of tho Leaguo .was transacted. :>

; Tho Mayor,, who is. President of the Wellington Branch,. moved tho adoption of the report, which has already' been' published; also tho reappointment, of the officers, of .tho Loaguo. Both motions were carried. SPEECH BY THE GOVERNOR. His Excellency the Governor,said ho, was very proud to have tho second opportunity .in succession'of witnessing' such a splendid Navy League gathering. He did not suppose that for 1 any purpose thero had ever been a better gathering. That was something; they should all be proud, of, and it was not necessary for him to say. why to those connected with the League, because they . know with him that under Provideuco our' very happiness, and 'existence depended ■ on the British Navy. (Applause.) Tho League had. a' grand opportunity ■ at present. ■ Two important ■ subjects connected with it were interesting them all very much—viz., tho proposal to increase the subsidy to tho. Navy i\Hiich, as far as.he could see, was,being received with approbation throughout the Dominion (applauso)—and the coming/ visit of tho.spleudid squadron of the' battleships from the United States. Both of. these matters helped'to bring forward tlie aims, and objects, and aspirations of the Navy League. He- would not speak in detailv of the first' matter, because it might be considered political.. In speaking of the visit of the United States fleet, he would address his remarks particularly to the boys and'girls: present, who were all interested in .the event. • They had been told there had never before occurred such a display of naval power hore. "Sixteen battleships—and wo have never yet, I believe, had one battleshiji out hero." They might be inclined to ask: Whore is England and whoro is the Empire, when' 16 battleships can come here from another, country, and we had not one here on which'to fly the flag. The children ought to have the position placed -before • thom as clearly as possible. Tho position was this: That if there was anything really serious the matter, or anything that was causing difficulty or anxiety in connection with tho British Empire,- there would bo British battleships in' tho Pacific (Applause.) . But, thank God, there was nothing of tho sort. The British Empire was at present the ally of the Japanese, and tho friend of the American nation. , So- long as that combination existed there was no necessity to keep a battleship in this part of the world. They had to bo whoro they wero wanted-. In allowing 16 battleships 'to sail away, America left herself with; ho thought, seven sea-going ships for the whole of her territory. ' Ho did not .want anvono to think he was decrying the power or .'importance' of America. (Applause.). But these ,16 battleships did not represent any comparison between the naval power of tho : American nation,' which we loved so much, and that of our own nation; In congratulating the Leaguo,on the, splendid gathering he also congratulated Mr. C. W. Palmer (secretary). (Applauso). If Mr. Palmer did not exist, they would nover have had such a pleasant gathering. (Loud applause.)' Ho also wanted to thank Captain Fyler and his ship for helping with the gathering. (Loud applause.) , . , < THE PREMIER'S ADDRESS. The Prime . Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), who is New Zealand. President of the Navy League, said the largo attendance was a tribute to Captain Fyler and'his officers and men, who were so kindly giving that splendid entertainment. It was a worthy object lesson for tho 1400 children who were present. It ■ was well, in ■ a ■ young • country like ; ours, to give the rising generation such an opportunity of realising the power, prestige, glory and force <if the grand old British Navy. (Applause.) The pleasant memories they would carry, away from that gathering would, ho hoped, remain with them in after years, and enable them to realise their duty in .helping to keep Navy. (Applause.) His Excellency having referred to tho increased ' contribution, of this country to tho Navy, < it would be fitting to say that thero was not one man in Parliament who did not support ( a proposal of that kind, because they all 1 recognised the importance of the Navy to this'distant portion of the Empire. Though . they, wore not proposing to pay very much,

it was the goodwill behind it that they valued more than the actual money itself. Ho would very much like to be able to say that a request recently mado to the British authorities, through his' Excellency the Governor, to enable us to.have out hero, a larger ship for tho purpose of training 1000 young men, had been granted.. Ho regretted to sa J7 however, that they had:not had a favourable reply, ■ All tho same, they, felt that the Amokura was too small, and if they could not get/what they wanted in ono direction, thoy,would get it in another. (Applause.) file Premier concluded by again expressing his pleasure at being present, and added, smilingly, that ho was'only sorry lie could not bo in the boxing ring, in connection with some of the encounters they had witnessed. (Applause;)...... The, Mayor proposed'a vote of. thanks to Captain Fyler, Mrs. Eyler, and the officers and men of the Encounter. This was carried by acclamation.

Lady Ward presented the "Victory" shield to the Amokura boys, amid a sceno of great enthusiasm. .