'"THE KING'S NAVEE."'

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 983, 25 November 1910, Page 6

'"THE KING'S NAVEE."'

COUNTRY CHILDREN VISIT THE SQUADRON.' About 1000 scholars from tho Masterton and surrounding district schools arrived ill Wellington at midday yesterday for , the purpose of visiting the flagship, ; ll.M.fc', Powerful, and also of seeing the . sights of the city. The excursion was arranged under the auspices of the local 1 branch of tlio Navy League in co-opera-tion with the ' Wairarapa branch, and ; included about £?00 juvenilo members of tho country branch. On arrival in Wellington, tho party was met by Mr. C. W. Palmer, secretary of the Wellington branch, who, with Mr. E. R. B. Daniel, of Masterton, had made all arrangements. , On the Powerful. About 400 went down to tho Ferry Wharf,- and were taken across to. the flagship by the steamers Duchess, Pilot, and Janie Seddon. Oil boarding tho Powerful the youngsters ' were shown round, and showed the keenest interest in everything they saw—many of the children had never even seen the sea before. Those who preferred to remain ashore spent a busy day .'seeing the eights. Between 3 and 4 p.m. the visitors to the warship were brought ashore in detachments, and afterwards proceeded to the Central. Fire Station, where they were very courteously receivod by the superintendent and deputy-superintend-ent, who arranged for a fire alarm exercise to bo carried out. The display was a very popular one. After this was over, the party 'went across to the Town Hall, and was treated to a brief but enjoyable recital on the grand, organ by the city organist (Mr. J. Maughan Barnett). Tho final part of the day's programme—a meeting with his. Excellency the Governor—had a somewhat .unfortunate . termination, as will be ' seen from a separate report in this issue. Somo of the excursionists returned to the Wairarapa by tho 3.35 p.m. train, but the majority of them remained in town for the 6.7 p.m. special excursion train. Navy League Entertainment, In the evening a military, and naval entertainment, similar to that presented to the public a few weeks, ago by tho Garrison Rifle Association, was carried out at tho Town Hall by representatives of various units of tho Wellington Garrison, assisted. by various soloists, in the presence of his Excellency the Governor (Lord Islington), his" Excellency the Com-mander-in-Chief of tho Australian Squadron (Vicc-Adrniral Sir Richard Poore), and staff. During tlio interval, the prizes awarded to the successful candidates in the Navy League essay competitions were presented by his Excellency the Governor. (Lord Islington) as follows:— Island Bay.—Percy Andrews, B.ernard Young. * • Mount Cook.—Geoffrey Bcaglehole, WCaddick. Te, Aro.—George Gray. Mount Cook Girls.—Muriel Andrews, Mary Nixon, Tui Poutewera, May Hargreaves. • Kilbirnie.—Anthony Callaghan, L. Perrin. Clyde,Quay.—Wm. Fisher. N. H.Moss, Jas. Goer, D. Scott, .Doris Kirker, Phyllis Murray. Brooklyn.—Lizzie Wakeham, Edith Binns. Newtown.'—Euphemia Stevens. Eoseneath—Henry. Morris, D. Adams, K. Watt, R. Darroch. Terrace.—A. .Gibbons,i Wm. M'Carthy, Frank'Morton, John Longley. Thorndbn. Norali Walsh! Frank Aickin, IC. Hicksou, Hilda Newbold, Alastair Gray, Gladys Esson. South . Wellington.—R. J.. Beckley. Mitcheltown.—Jack. Borthwick. There were no speeches. The programme' was a very enjoyable one, though certain "stage waits" vmight well have been curtailed a- _littls. Mr. F. J. Proctor was musical director, and Lieut. R. W. Wilkinson, stage manager. Tho entertainment was in .good-hands. Members of the Wellington Navals, Wellington Guards, and College- Rifles contributed naval and military sketches; bayonet and physical drill displays were given by the City Rifles and the Zealandia Rifles, whilo. salo items were contributed .by Lieut. V. R. Meredith, Gunners Hon-, chcn and Wellar (Wellington Navals), Lieut. Mee and Bugler Chnino (College Rifles), Lieut. A. C. C. Stevens (Junior Cadet Department), and Bugler Benlo (Guards).,'. Not the least enjoyablo of the performers was Chief Stoker Fuller (H. 51.5. Encounter), a comedian of parts. " '