ADMIRAL FAWKES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 17

ADMIRAL FAWKES.

ENTERTAINED AT BLUFF. <Fbok Oob Own Cosbzsfokdxht.) INVERCARGILL, January 7, His Excellency Sir Wilmot Fawkes- r Admiral of the Australian fleet, and Lady Fawkes wer© entertained at lunch by the chairman and members of the Bluff Harbour Board at Sutherland's Hotel, Bluff, to-day. Mr J. E. Watson, chairman of tfho | Harbour Board, presided, and there were also present Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, Mr and Mrs Tipping, the member* of the Harbour Board, and other public men. Mr Watson, in proposing, the health of hie Excellency the Admiral, expressed his pleasure and the pleasure of the ffiembers of the board at being honoured with the presence at luncjh of Admiral Fawkes- and ■ Lady FawkeSj and their distinguished colleague, Sir Joseph. Ward, and Lady Ward. j (Applause.) The port of Bluff, he- said, might be the last port in New Zealand. ' but it was not the least, and the board was determined to make it one of the eafest, most convenient, and least expensive for large steamers^ apd one of the most hospitable for" his. Majesty's ships". — (Applause). New Zealanders generally; had a very high, regard for that great service of which his- Excellency was such a distinguished representative. New Zealand was the outermost outpost of his Majesty's Dominions, far from the cradle of the race, but yielded to none in loyalty to the King. For 60 years the colonists had been in peaceful and prosperous occupation of the land, without fear of' the covetousness of England's continental neighbours or of the Eastern peoplea They recognised that '. their immunity from invasion, wsta- ..due to the supremacy of the British navy^-a j supremacy which had been maintained' for the past 100 years, and bad not been stained t by unfair aggression. So dependent Werewe on the maintenance of this supremacy I that it was our clear duty to the Dominion j to do ajl in our power to keep it invincible, a 6 on its invincibility, depended the peace of the world. — (Applause.) | Admiral Fawkes, in replying, said that before leaving England his Majesty the j King had entrusted him" witrh. a message ' of his affectionate regard for tne people of Australia and .New Zealand, and, of his regret that he had never beeii able ' to visit these parts of his Dominions,. He would soon be returning- Home, and when he sought audience of King, to relinquish hie command], be would' have pleasure in i

c telling the King o£ the warm loyalty to th"« - Crown everywhere sho^n. — (Applause".) He '■ { was, he> believed, the first Admiral to fly b hia flag in the inner harbour of BluffTand » when he told his successor of the- treatment he had received he was sure he "would '• not be tta last (Applanse.) Tlxo B>lt; s K j ,• flag was a symbol of the unitjr of thVT&ne P r re t. an^ ' n a( ? e °* 8 S^omng power of the huge continental nations the,. British' c naval supremacy cpuld Only be maintainedt | by all the various parts of the Empire £ sticking together. The prog*ess of ;New v Zealand had been remarkable, but it'tfould a not have been made, bat for the Security j afforded by the British ' navy, and it was x greatly to . the interests' of the cofpnies. f that the high efficiency, vof fche na»y in) I material, perßonnel, a»d organisation should ■" • Ha war glad i that all parts of the Empire were so-ready, a I to help, and yras satisfied that if the -Boers' i had, previous to the wwarr r kn*w,n how %ene- - i ral that spirit was chere ,would have^ feen I no war.— (Applause.) The colonial 46ntri- * button to the n»vy, though veftiifid on Tn^sne- » fcary grounds, was more valued" as airindi- *- cation of tlie deoins in the colonial- that t Britain's, naval syprematgr should b^T#4int . Uined. ■ and -that deoire mis furthef3fndi6 cated by the sending of men. Marifj&han N 25 L°l *^ crew of '*«"' Pioneer; i^r in Ifluff harbour, were NeV Zeala"ndfiE< l and i S?* y6a 5 New JSe-alawi and Austr'afia 'sent Horn,©. 41, men, of whoife ,the r Sest reports as to , behaviour and int£lligetice' wereilJeing y received— (ap^lauael— while it was expected _ , that another 40 would go this year. .When |, f fhese men came back they would hyp tp [, «Rwad. . the Imperial. ,idjea ia ->the-.-«plonies, I 1 and they would comer aStomvtl{£;'ft\y nn e rs j each of £50 for each year of .ebrvace, their , t-ofonial pay having beeh'i'eserwdr'forihem. I New Zealand was wiilinfr to- continue the . naval agreement, and alt !3i« .{Admiralty [ asked was< tb*t it ehotrld be allowed to station the ships where they; were inos* needed, it being: better for the colonies that, an enemy's ships should be ke»t Itom aatamg hera than thftt iffaev shout* b« & en rJ ri % n * ey got Mr W. B. Soandrett {Jtfay^r ollnvfoearffill) .h*vuisf proposed t&e teast of- ""The Uomiitton Government" in"felicitous. ferms the Right Ho». Sir J. <?. Ward CPkon<J -Minister> ressponded, and fbintftj ou?,tiia< colonial interest cou&J-be «k>*& date*g«y[ by foreign skipe- ehtfahgreriW tfce sale arrival of our export* in the Bfonte njarfiet* «£an by threateoin^ our tbmuf . Bo for from wanton to *ft<»r th» tetms oftße na*al, , agreement by reducing oar contr'ibntions, he wajr personally in h-vcux di gSng^in^Oier. —(Applause.) The Amoftura && pot- provide accommodation, for the men offering It. was Chought tiiat only ab&rf t6'men would apply, but thaco we*e sever*! ftttndredir, and if a ship sufSfaiehtfy lawre td acconlodate 1000" tsould fee found the 'eotonj ■ should be prepared to train t&em for. tr«nsfer to the ship* of tfiefnavy, and- afferwarVk r pVovade for their pensions; so as to secure their attachment to the country for all time.