OUR BATTLESHIP.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1721, 11 April 1913, Page 6

OUR BATTLESHIP.

RECEPTION PROCEDURE. NO SPEECHES ON ARRIVAL. . Official procedure,; jivtipn ■_ tho... battle- '••• cruiser New Zealand avxiv«S"at'Welling- •?;•••• ton . to-morrow will be strictly according to time-honoured rule. After his ship has • reached .' hj-iv aucliorage, Captain. Halsey ' will proceed to Goveriinicnt House to ' '. inake an official call npon. the Governor. Subsequently the' Earl of Liverpool will return tho call. Then tliei Pa'iino Miiiistex !'' and somo of his colleagues will call , upon the captain, of the battleship, and later / tlie Mayor and city. councillors and tho 'v.. cliairman, of th«-Harbour Board and other ; members of that body will call upon Cap-' | tain 'Halsey in thdr turn. Some misapprehension appears to exist , as to tho .authority of tho New Zealand .Government in connection ivith ,the yisit : of tho battleship. Thp Prime Minister v' .'pointed out, in conversation ■ with a rc- . : porter yDstprdayj .that' the-battleship was ' jsnder the control of the Imperial Govern- : ■n.ent, iv'hicli would give its'instructions ••to the captain of the ship while she was • in.. Now, Zealand waters, through his Ex- , cellency the Governor. The New .Zealand! Government has practically, nothing to do, : , : yvibh the'control of tho ship - j/ programme, in Nesv Zealand,.! The- ; .pro-! gx'amnie lias been definitely arranged so. ' • far ,«s the visit to Auckland, is concerned, but imtil tho ttraval of tho ship in New Government will not be con- • suited as to it's inoyemenb, if then. Tho: Government is therefore not , in a posi|ti'on to deal authoritatively .with requests' . for a .visit from th'o battleship which ■ j itnvo come from various Dominion pprfa. Such requests havo been passed on, with. J ; the Government's recommondation, but it ' ; lias no direct control in tlio matter. •. vLi one important'respect tho reception •> r of.'the battleship New" Zealand wili;'dif- „> ier ironi many public functions which 1 /havo taken place in New; Zealand. The I?.official programme for the day "of arrival | ;;jinakeß / no .provision' for speeches. Later j.;on, at luncheons and similar, functions, I ' speeches will bo delivered, but there will f,- be nothing of the kind on the day when the battleship makes her first appearance yr.iii a New, Zealand port. ~" ~ 'So®? further particulars regarding the■ conditions under which school children If brought in from .country districts, to visit, si the Vwill.'bß conveyed by, the I' Railway Department were supplied to a: " a'eporter yesterday by the' Hon. W. H.' Hemes (Minister "for Railways). Tho i; Railway Departnient will carry the chil--dreii at "day school-excursion.rates,", a reduction npon 'the ordinary, excursion rates. .Tho Hon. H. D. Bell, as Minister for Edncatiori, has notified, the Railway ' Department that tho. fares . of . school- ;; children who can journey fo Wellington . nud return to'their homes,, on . the samo , ' day,'.will;be paid by the Government.' • These children' will therefore :be carried : .free,'.but ;it isjimpprtant: to .note that, i ' this applies only to children who can return , to. their homes on the same.'day. ■• :,'.Schp6l children brought' to. Welliriston, . for a moro extended stay, will be carrieil by the Railway Department ."at. .."day : - school.. excursion rates." ' Parents , of ; Bchbdl-children will have- to pay ordinary ; ■ excursion; rates,. but will, be allowed to travel- in the same train's as . their.'chil- ' ~/dren if there is ropm for, theii.';,Where :' . the special trains afford '; room only for the children, parents will;have to gravel by ordinary trains, but ,' in .most cases, t 'these.-will fit in .conveniently , with the' special trains. Fer instance, an ordinary train, from the Wairarapa is timed ; ito ..arrive' half an hour ahead of.the i;-"-'special-train provided,for ,the,conveyance. • ,oi' children. • '•.'.; PRIVILEGES FOR THE MEN. . : " ';•■ " ' ' ..Ii . FREE PASSES ON TRAMS.' •: j A special meeting of the City 'Couicil ■; was field yesterday afternoon to consiife . a'l ecommendatiori from tho : Citizens'. Fefd ;'"..'■Committee that , man-o'-warsmen from »; ,H.M.S New: Zealand -should■ be allowed ; to.rido frco on th'o city trams w ; hilo -the ship was in port. ■ Tb«ro.-vr«re' • present: Coi.ncillors W. II. : P. Barber, F. Cohen, ! . G." -Prosti A. E.' Atkinso'ii; l J'/ GPdb&r, L. M'Kenzie, J. Fuller, J. E. Fitzgerald, R. e Fletcher, J. Trevor, and G. Shirtcliffe. , Councillor liarber was voted to tho . chair, in the absence of the Mayor. . ' - Councillor M'Kenzie was first called 'upon by the acting-Mayor, a? having been the first to sign tho requisition calling .'.for the special meeting.. Councillci- M'lCenzie oxplained 'the ieo- , - .eon. why.' ho .had ..signed" the! roquisition calling tho meeting: A-proposal had been iy'inade to the Citizens" Committee looking ii. after the arrangements', for the welcome to tho men on' tho battleship that Pertain i coiifesioiis, should be given'to the;, men, ii. siich ,as free passes 'on trams. This the . cemmittee.had thought desirable; and it !.. had been thought advisable 'to ask'the . ; council to sanction "it. ' " J - • • • ',. Councillor -Barber said a recommends-' : t;on lu\d been carried at' the committeo | liietl'ing suggesting that tihe council be ) asked to make some such concession as' : was suggested, and the special meeting of I; ,-tho .council had been called to consider•''t'- . '-I'he T«im'way Board could not act on i .the resolution of tho committee. , •; ,'A Councillor Frost said he thought the ; v -'SJ'anting of .the freo use of the trams on' . • oil days w'hile the ship was here freo to the men was a very tall order.. Tho i .'trams lyoukl not be of much use to tho • citizens'.if. .this were granted. • ; Councillor Fitzgerald said' he was not . in favour of the proposal. . ' j ' Councillor Shirtcliffe said he wonld'lilce' , \ to know how, many men would ilw '.free*. -'••from, thei ship.'oil ariy;'ono"day. ;It "was' ••'impossible for the councii to carry 800 : men free for 12 days, but ho took it that ■ r , only a relative few would be ashore every • .■' day. ' _ Mr. W. H. Morton, chairman of tho faraway Board,, when asked to. state : what: he thought of tho scheme, said it i would not bo possible to put observation ! . cars at the service of tho men. AH tho • cars would be .needed for regular traffic. / free'; passes were another matter, but if ' ; -they;-were to bo given, they, should'.not •' apply -bet\yeen 12 and i!, and between 5 and 7, when tho cars were always crowd- . cd. Difficulty was experienced now in epping with the rush traffic, and. there "■would bo civilian visitors in the town at that time hs well as the wars'hip men. Councillor Fletcher approved of tho sug- . ;. gestion that tho free passes bo issued, but ■ ho did not think that the hours should , he limited. It was probable that the ; ■ men would not bo travelling out of town 1 nt; !> o'clock -as was-most of; tho' rdsh ; traffic. 110 supposed that there would not :. bo more than 150 to 200 men ashore at one • time., 110 moved that officers and-men -of tho battleship bo alio,wed freo ~ passages n'n all city lines, except between" tho hours of 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., adding that ho put in tho restriction in deferance to Mr. Morton's expressed opinion. Councillor J. Fuller seconded tho mo- , tion, but ho opposed thp restriction as to hours, and at his suggestion the mover :. withdrew the provision to that effect iri his motion. V Councillor Fitzgerald opposed tho mo- . tion, on tho ground that the overloading of tho traffic by giving somo. hundreds of iupn freo use of tho trams would cansc serious inconvenience to tho citizens, who shpuld first consideration. He would move as an amendment that tho men be given free use of the cars excepting at lunch time and between the hours of .1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Ho thought tho council . would 1m very generous indeed if they • , adopted that.. Councillor Godber seconded the amend- ■ mont. : Councillor Shirtcliffe opposed the restriction. It would be a left-handed com- , plimont, he said, to offer the cars to the ; men at times when the citizens did not want them. Tho mere fact, that tho men could, not ride free would' not provent their riding at rush times. They would ride and pay the fares, nnd inconvenience 1 the citizens just as much. Councillor Trevor saijl lie would vote ; For tho amendment. Citizens and visitors : from the country should have first con-, federation, and to load the cars with 300 . - men for 12 days was no light matter. -Thecouncil would not be wise to crowd their v own people off the cars. - ' Councillor Frost also supported tho . nmmwii'iflut. It was difficult for people.].

to get homo'after' business noiv, he said, and the-overloading of the service would inconvenience tha". citizens, and make , the work of the tramway authorities in handling,,tho" traffic exceedingly difficult. The amendment was carried by 7 votes to The council decided also that those corporation employees who could be spared should have a half-holiday next Wednesday,.and .that thoso .who have to remain at work'on that day bo given, another half-holiday on some other day. Tho'offieial visit of the members of the City Council and tho Harbour Board will take place at 3.15 p.m. to-morrow. To convey tliem to the ship the Janio Seddon will leave the Wool wharf at that hour. /rHE.SCIfti'OL CHILDREN. t In connection with tho promised visit of the school children of I lie Wellington district, to H.M.S.,'New Zealand, the Education Bourd''has ■ issued tho following circular, .to, .chairmen of committees and head teachers:— "■ ■ "Tho board is.pleascd to announce that dn, order, to afford country children an opportunity of seeing tho battleship New Zealand, in which ail tho people of this country aro so closely interested, tho Government has agreed to, convey, free of charge by special trains provided for the purpose; all school children of Standards 4, 5, 6, and 7, and of, Standard 3, if over ,11 years of age,, who can he returned to their homes|in ; oii6 day. The committee and liead teaclier. will be responsible for the arrangements, and for proper supervision to and fro arid in Wellington. One free ticket,will be.issued from tho nearest railway station to cover tho teachers and all the children from each school— numbers to bo. supplied to the stationmaster by tho'head teacher. One ticket to cover' tho members of school, committee accompanying tho school children will be . issued, 1 at'school excursion ,rates. The number of adults in each carriage must not .bo less thari two. No adults other than teachers and committeemen will be conveyed on tho special traans.' It is to" be noted that' parents can in most instances reach Wellington by ordinary trains, and their destination on the return, 'ahead' of their children. Tickets at' excursion rates will be issued for adults from :12th to 23rd, and available for return up to April 2G Inordinary trains. .On arrival'in Wellington it is requested that the children be arranged four-deep and marched to the head of the King's Wharf, to which they will be admitted,in due order. As the day will bo particularly long, and a very largo number will be travelling, it is advisable that parents should provide a supply of food, [Arrangements regarding the visit of Wellington schools will be announced at a-later date. . It is proposed.to convey the children attending .schools!.beyond Hukanui and beyond Ashhurst (in the Wanganui district) not to-Wellington but to Napier, at a; date to be fixed after the arrival of tho vessel.,, This arrangement includes ,the, whole of the; Pahiatua district. ' Tho railway • time-table arranged pro- • . vides for the ,visit to Wellington on Saturday, April 19, of, the school, children from ■ 'Lmton, Tokomaru, Koputaroa, Levin, Ohau, .Manakau, Otaki, To Horo, Waikanae, Paraparaumu, Paekakariki, Plimmerton, Poriru'a, Tawa Mat, Johrisonvilla, and Ngaio; on Monday, April 21,- from Hukanui, Eketaliuna, Mangamahoe, Mauriceville, Opaki, and Masterton; and on Tuesday, April 22, from Clareville, Carterton, Dalefield, Matarawa, Greytowni I'e'atherston, : Kaitoke, Upper and Lower Hutt, I'etone, and Kaiwarra. ■ •■.•■ NAVY LEAGUE. . " " The Navy'Ltague is experiencing considerable difficulty in scouring sufficient' steamer accommodation to convey its numerous members out into tho harbour to give them a nearer view of the battleship on the day;,of ; ts arrival. The Duchess has been placed at' the disposal of tho league, and • also tho Terawhiti,. but owing to. ithtj large increase of juvenile membership ■'there-. 'may be difficulty in securing'space'for adult members. Efforts aro .being..made, to obtain more steamers. Arrangements aro being made for an ,official..visit;by adult and juvenile niem--bers of the league some day next week,. Special" passes' tire to be issued, to be 'l>.eld;by menibers .during the stay of\the fighting ship in-ithe port: These passes will, enable, .thein., .to ' be. present at' any function under the 1 auspices, of the . league'.:V,.V ' , , Tho league has in view the arrangement of ii farewell to the bluejackets a day or.sp'.b^for.e.,:the departure of the ship. It is proposed that the juvenile choruses . will be, repeated, on that occasion/ ; ; In connection with the visit' of the battleship,,' Mr.,Q. W. Palmer, secretary of the Navy League, has sent the following letter, to. headmasters o£ schools:— "Weather permitting, the Duchess is to leave : the Ferry Wharf at 1.25 p.m. sharp on SatuMiiy; ''fHtTSteamer accommodation is barely sufficient for juvenile members who have paid their subscriptions,in 1913, (prior to-April'l). The tickets,enclose?l are for 1913 subscribers'only, and should bo retained' by' the children during the stay of the battle cruiser in port. After Saturday'similar passes .will be issued to tlipsp,, children who joined in December and-who were distinctly told by you that they were covered for 1913. These passes' will Ijo' ii=ed at a trip of inspection next week and at a farewell function to bluejackets which the league is endeavouring to arrange. The hnrbour trip on Saturday is qnitd 'ifn extra privilege, and I trust the boys and girls who joined in ■December will'recognise toe; position." YACHT PROCESSION. ' The allocation of positions of .the yachts and launches.which"are to accompany the New Zealand-.as she steams up the har-bour-to-her. .anchorage to-morrow is as follows;— .-.-.v. s Starboard side:—Launches: 1 Naomi, 2 Waitohi, 3 Vida, 4 Scotia, 5 Veronica, b Waripori, 7 Rapier, 8 Toanui, 9 Nellie, 10 Mona, 11 Taniwha, 12 Phyllis, 13 Cygnet, 14 Wolseley, 15 Dauntless, 16 Niagara, 17 - Rriihi, 18' Helva, 19 Rehtltai, 20 Awanui, 21 Dot. ..... It has been father a difficult matter to obtain the names of all the launches, but those not mentioned in the'list will follow in order to be. obtained from the Marshal (Mr. 'Hf Ghisholm), who will be .ori'the-laiuifli.'Waione. \ ■ Port side, ■'Yachts:—l Siren, 2 Rawene, 3 Slurifaij 4'Waitahgi, 5 Ma'tangi, 6 White Wings, 7 Wairere 11, 8 Mahima, 9 Wylo, ■10 -Wairere 1,. ,11- Atalanta, 12 Wind-' 'warcl,' 13 Viking, '14 Patronus, 15 Nancy Stair, 1G Lizzie, 17 101/inthe, 18 Taipare, 19 Venus, 211 Maliaki, 21 Ethel, 22 Amai, 23 Trixie, 24 Isca, 25 Reverie, 26 Te Rhuna, 27 'Wareliou, 28 Dauntless, 29 Karaka.' 30 -Wairangi, 31 Waimoa, 32 May, ' 33 Akatea, 31 Essex. , The Heretaunga Boating Club and the Te Aro Sailing Club's half-decked boats will,.follow on.; after the yachts. Any yachts -inadvertently omitted from the 1 above list aro requested to follow 'on in order-.which can be obtained from the marshal. '. It is suggested that boats from the rowing clubs arid any other rowing boats | .should join in the procession on the starboard side, from Point Jerninghani. Particulars of tho special excursion train service ill connection with tho visit nf 11.'M.S. New. Zealand will bo found on ■pago 1 of this issue.. , , . THE HALT,. A meeting of the General Committee of tliri Citizens' Naval Ball ds to bo held in tho Town Hall this afternoon at 5 p.m., at .which all members aro asked' to. be present to report as to the sale of ticket^. DINNER FOE THE ENGINEERS. ' The Wellington-branch of the Australasian ■ Institute- of Marine Engineers has decided to' entertain at dinner the engineers of H.M.S. New Zealand at the institute, Aitlcen Street, on Tuesday, April 22, at 7 p.m. , AN EXCURSION. To-morrow, tho s.s. Mararoa will run a harbour excursion in connection with the visit of tho H.M.S. New Zealand. The Mararoa is to leavo tho Queen's Wharf at 12,30 'p.m., and will go out to the "Heads; 'returning with tho warship. Tho chairman of the Westland branch of tho New Zoaland Political Reform League received - a telegram yesterday (telegraphs our Hokitika correspondent) notifying that the Hon. W. 11. Horries, . Minister for Railways, will visit tho West Coast, early in. May. Jlr. Herries will leave Christchui-ch for the West Const on Morfday, 'May 12, and on May 13 will inspect the line to tiio State collieries. Tho Minister will bo at Greymoiith oil May 14, and will inspect the Greyinouth-Ross section on the same day. On May 15 he will visit Blackball and I'eefton, returning to Greymouth-tho saino night. Mr. Herries will leave on May 1G on his return to Christchurcli. Tho Westland branch of the Now Zealand Political Reform Leaguo j ,will entertaiu tlm Afiritt<u.- *1 .Hokitika; |