VISIT OF H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 234, 27 June 1919, Page 7

VISIT OF H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND

ENTERTAINMENT' ARRANGEMENTS. H.M.S. New Zealand is expected to reach Wellington on August 18, and the. recently-formed Citizens' Entertainment Committee held a meeting last evening to appoint executive aiid sub-committees and to-make detailed arrangements, for the entertainment of the officers and men. Mr. B. Keesing presided, and there was. a very good attendance.

An Executive Committee, consisting of Mrs. C. Earle, Mrs. Darling, Mrs. Coleridge, Colonel Campbell, Captain Chudley, Messrs. B; Keesing, It. Shallcrass, G. Aldridge, and. R. Darroch, was apointed. A School Children's Committee to look after the visiting school children and the city school children was set up. This committee consists of Mr. J. G. Harkness (chairman of the Harbour Board), Captain Munro, and Messrs. Keesing, M'Kcnzie, and Darroch, with power to add three ladies to the committee.

The chairman stated that he had received information -privately" that it was not the intention of tho Government to make any arrangements for.' bringing school children from the country to visit the battleship. - Captain Chudley expressed surprise at tbis. He thought it was the duty of the Government to do something in the matter. The children were brought down when the battleship was hero previously, and she was more a special ship now than ever before.

Mr. Darroch stated' that when the New Zealand came here before, she came as a special ship, and the Government paiu .£12,000 to the Railway Department for tho transport of the country children. She was not regarded as a special ship on this occasion, but just as an ordinary British battleship visiting tho Dominion. He thought ,the .vessel was more of a special snip now than she was 6ix years ago., -Colonel Campbell said he thought' a great deal of the matter, for the teaching of the children was very, important. He thought that if a deputation were appointed it should" wait on the Minister of Railways, tho Minister of Education, and the Acting-Prime Minister. A deputation consisting of the Mayor, Mr. Keesing, Captain Chudley, Messrs. H. I<Y voii Haast, T. Forsyth, and R.. Darroch was appointed to wait on the Ministers. Arrangements were made in' regard to the arrival of the vessel in Wellington Harbour, and a committee to arrango for the citizens' ball to be given to Ad- 1 miral Jellicoe and his officers was appointed. ' ~ , Mrs. Darting, on behalf of tho Ladies Committee, submitted a report which showed that their part of the entertainment will, be thoroughly well done. Tho Ladies' Committee undertook to make, the arrangements for providing GOO or 700 men of. the battleship with luncheon.' EECEPTION IN WELLINGTON. Tho Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke)' explained to the City Council last evening that the Navy League proposed to entertain Admiral Jellicoe and thu men of the-'New Zealand on the arrival of the battlecruiser in Wellington. Tho leaguo pro-l posed to raise a fund of ,£IOOO for that purpose, and it proposed to ask for sums of jC2S from local bodies and firms, andX> donations from individuals for the purpose of defraying the cost. The Finance Committee- recommended that tho council donate .£25 to the fund. Councillor P. Eraser opposed the proposal. on the grounds that if there was to be any entertainment it should be done by the civic body, and not by a private' body, and ho moved that tho grant bo not made. ' The amendment was seconded by Councillor J. Hutchison, who also objected to the hospitality of- the city being tendered b'v a private society. He did not know what the Navy League, was. Councillor Luckie: "Well, you ought to.

Councillor Atkinson, remarked that a meeting of tlie citizens had been called by tho Mayor, and lie,'though not a member of tho league, had been appointed to the executive. It was all very, well for 'people to come along at this stage and move hostile . motions when thsy were not there, and knew nothing about it.

Councillor Eraser said that if the arrangements were being made by a Citizens' Committee it was a different matter.

'Die recommendation was agreed toj