H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 96, 30 April 1913, Page 5

H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND.

A BRILLIANT SPECTACLE. LPeii Piiess Association, i Auckland, ’ April 29. The New Zealand arrived at 1.45 p.rn. to-day and met ,with an enthusiastic reception. , : TheTweather was beautifully fine, and the harbour presented a gay spectacle. A large number of launches, yachts', and other small craft turned out to meet the battleshlp.il -The toa'n waf crowded with people and a general half-holiday was observed. When the ship came to an anchor, it was boarded by a number of naval veterans, who were the first to be received on board. The captain and other officers landed, and were tendered a reception at the wharf by the port authorities. Sub ■jequently, HHe.Vf droKan ’to the Town Hall, where they were officially received by th 6? iiayor and Councillors. The Prime Minister (Mr Massey) and the Hon. H. ,D. Bell, were also pre sent. The town was gaily' decorated with flags and bunting, and many public buildings and the harbour foreshore were brilliantly illuminated to night, the effect being beautiful.

During the visit of the detachment )f Hawera school children to H.M.S New Zealand, Mr C. A. Struck took occasion to present Captain Halsey with a cannon ball which has some history attached to it. The ball.

'.tateg Mr Struck, was used by th; gunship Alligator when she bombard >d a Maori pa on the Taranaki coast. Early settlers will remember the time when the whaler Harriot, in charge of Captain Guard, was wrecked on the Taranaki coast, and some of the crea were murdered by the Maoris. The Alligator was despatched to make reprisals. In thanking Mr Struck, Captain Halsey stated that he would keep the old cannon ball with many other curios which he had alreadv received.

Seeing the warship, New Zealand, was not altogether a free show for a number of people who went out on Sunday week from the ferry wharf. There was a huge crowd at the wharf, and crushing was much in evidence. Pickpockets were among the crowd, and a number of people were relieved of the money they carried. Of those who are now in financial mourning the heaviest loser is a man who got to the ferry wharf with a £lO note in his pocket, and got to the warship without it. It is known that a number of pickpockets have been hanging about the city for some time.

A Waverley parent solicitous about his son learning all that was possible regarding the battleship New Zealand journeyed with the lad to Wellington—rather than risk only haltseeing the vessel off Wanganui. On reaching the Empire City he discovered, in the morning, that it was “coaling day” and that no visitors were to he allowed on the ship that day. After a few moments thought he decided upon an ingenious plan of action, which, put into operation, produced the desired result. In othei words, he and his son (with the connivance of one of the craw) got off to the great man-o’-war and were shown over her from practically, “stem to stern and ‘kelson to foretop,’ by members of the crew, in addition to

witnessing part of the coaling operations—which are usually kept secret from “profane eyes,” especially when a Prince takes active part in them, as was the ease in this instance. Father and sou«had a “royal time of it” aboard the vessel, being shown a great deal more than any other pair of country residents had the pleasure ot seeing while the vessel was in Wellington,