H.M.C. NEW ZEALAND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 88, 21 April 1913, Page 8

H.M.C. NEW ZEALAND.

SPEECH BY CAPTAIN HALSEY. Captain Halsey and officers of the New Zealand were entertained by the Government at; lunch on Friday. .Mr Massey presided, and amongst the guests were members of both branches of the Legislature, heads of the departments of the Civil Service, judges, and officers of the Territorials. .Responding to the Chairman’s toast of “The Navy,” Captain Halsey said that ho had seen with a certain amount

of regret something about the reception of tho New Zealand. He had been in Wellington many times before, but ho had never expected tho reception

that tho New Zealand had received. Something had been said about the firing of tho guns, and that the gunners were ready to return the salute. Under tho King’s regulations they could not fire guns on such an occasion. Ho had seen enthusiasm displayed by tho public, and ho unhesitatingly said on behalf of tho officers and men on tho ship that they were thoroughly pleased with that enthusiasm. The officers and men of the New Zealand would uphold tho tradition:; of the Empire so long as they held tho trust that had been reposed in them. To enable tho ship to fulfil her destiny the crew must become efficient, and, to that end, he asked that the public would give them some chance of target practice, so that if occasion arose they would do credit to tho Empire to which they belonged. (Applause.)

MESSAGE TO SIR JOSEPH WARD

Some Wellington residents to-day forwarded the following cable message to Sir Joseph Ward: “Tho Dominion’s reception of the battleship was enthusiastic. Tremendous interest war; created. Your efforts were recognised and the critics silenced by tho universal voice. Your picture, presented by tho Mayor and citizens, was gratefully accepted by the captain. Trust you may ho long spared to still further promote the best interests of tho Empire and the Dominion.”

MAORIS ON BOARD

WELCOMED ON “THE BIG

CANOE.”

About forty members of the Ngatiawa tribe, with their chief, Mr Daniel Love, paid a visit to tho battleship on Thursday, in response to a special invitation. They, were received on board and entertained by Commander Grace, and were also introduced to r'rinco George ,of Battenberg. The Maoris were attired in their national costume, and at tho request of Commander Graco danced a haka. They also repeated their Pouwhiri or chant of welcome. Before departing, the visitors were photographed, Commander Grace joining tho group with a piupin, or mat, thrown over his shonldei in Maori style. Mr Love heartily thanked Commander Grace for tho manner in which tho party had been entertained.

W Jiat strikes the visitor to the e 'v Zealand after ’he has seen the eft-described guns and magazines and tin bines and shells, is tho marvel that human control can be exercised over so vast and complicated a mass of power and machinery, (says the. Melbourne correspondent of the Sydney. “Sun.”). Tho explanation is in the skill of tho ship’s company, from the captain commander to tho cook’s boy. Highly trained electricians abound, blacksmiths are carried, there are dozens of expert navigators and gunners. Even the stokers would be classed as specialists in an ordinary steamer. Men pop up unexpectedly from queer holes in huge covered gun turrets, and ono wonders how they can possibly keep in their memories tho uses and planning of the endless sets of pipes and wires and tubes. One also wonders why they are content to do all this for so little, money. The marine and the sailor get about 12s a week, and the average pay of the ship’s company must be well under twenty shillings. They say it is not so little when it is remembered that they can hank nearly every penny. And they do bank it. Not one New Zealand man has been seen drunk in Melbourne. That is not the habit of the new men of the British Navy.

An enlarged photograph of Sir Joseph Ward was presented to the officers of H.M.S. New Zealand on Thursday on behalf of the citizens of various parts of the Dominion. The Mayor, Mr M’Laren, made the presentation. Captain Halsey, in responding, made felicitous references to the magnificence of the Dominion’s action in presenting- a warship to the British fleet at a time when it was sorely needed, and the effect of that notable action on other nations, who might later ho Britain’s enemies. It showed them that in an appeal to arms they would have to meet not Great Britain only, but the Greater Britain, of which Now Zealand was a part.