FLEET VISIT.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 April 1924, Page 1

FLEET VISIT.

BILLETING SCHOOL CHILDREN. PUOPOSED WEST COAST VISIT. CHI’ISTCHUBCII. April L Methods of accommodating several hundred West Coast school children who expect to visit Christchurch to see the cruisers of the British Empire Squadroh hi May, were discussed by the Cai'i’terbnry Branch of liic Navy League last night. The question was introduced by a letter from All - D. J. Evans, clerk of the Westland County Council, who asked the league to do something regarding the visit of a party of Westland school children to Christchurch on the occasion of the squadron’s visit. The Government, he noted, were providing excursion trains for schools, and offering £ for £ subsidy for league luncheons. He suggested that the children should leave the Coast on Friday, spend Saturday at Lyttelton, Sunday in Christchurch, and return home on Monday, He asked the league to go into the matter of accommodation with the Canterbury Education Board and the Y.M.C.A. The Chairman (Mr J. J. Bengali) said, that the league was to take the responsibility of looking after the children. “It is a pretty big contract.’’ Mr .J. 0. Jamieson: if we knew the number coming we could probably decide the extent of the contract. Air Doiigall: There will probably be ;>:),) or -KT) children. In Wellington the (Jov'oriim'eint is, subsidising the Board £ for £. We will have to see the Y.Af.C.A. as regards accommodation. Air 0 J. Trelenveil: If these children were asked to bring their own blankets all we would have to do would he to find places to put them and find food for them.

The chairman: Tn billeting, you could not see what homes they were going to. You would have to inspect the homes before sending the children to them.

Mr Treleaven (referring to the Navy League Hull): We could put some in there and find another hall. Mr Jamieson: When do the schools break up? AVe might he able to find room in the hoarding schools and colleges.

The chairman: When the children came up from Dunedin when the Non Zealand was here, there were not many, and there was no difficulty. Put three or four hundred children are quite a different matter. He suggested that the league should telegraph immediately to Hokitika, and Greymouth. inquiring the number of children who would ho visiting Christchurch. ,

A lady member: And sec what we can do. The League adopted the chairman s suggestion. The Navy League, Christchurch, is enquiring the approximate number of children in the Hokitika. Greymouth and contiguous districts likely to visit Christchurch on the occasion of the naval visit. The Mayor of Greymouth is conferring with the Chairman of the Education Board and teachers and pupils in Hokitika and district should communicate their numbers through ♦heir teachers to Mr Beck, Secretary of the Westland Teachers’ Institute, which is supporting the proposed visit. Information as to the number likely to travel should l.' communicated as soon as possible to permit of arrangements with the Government being completed.