THE FLEET'S VISIT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 202, 15 August 1908, Page 2

THE FLEET'S VISIT

N r E\V ZEALAND'S HOSPITALITY,

ADMIRAL SPERRY. S CABLE TO PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT.

IS FRIENDSHIP AND ADMIRATION FOR AIAOIULANDERS.

(By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) Received 14, 0.5 p.m. ' lork, August 14. Admiral .Sperry cabled to President Roosevelt that, the New Zealand Government and people had accorded the licet a most enthusiastic reception; also thai, Sir Joseph Ward Had presented him .with a beautiful token for President Roosevelt, -with an invitation to visit tile Dominion, President Roosevelt cabled Admiral Sperry that die was greatly pleased with the telegram, and asked him to convey to Sir Joseph Ward the President's hearty .thanks and to express his sincere regard for the Iriendship and admiration the people of the United States entertain for the people of New i Zealand and to extend his congratulations to the fleet.

AN INTERESTING EVENT. < MAORI WAR CANOES'IN THE HARBOR. liy Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Surrounded by a warmly interested gathering of Maoris, the big native canoe, Tahoretikitiki, was put together near the rowing sheds on the iving'is Drive tiiis niorning. The craft, winch was displayed at the Ciiristchurch Exhibition, was brought back to Auckland in sections, and considerable delay has ensued in its re-construction. After lunch to-day, the canoe, manned by 00 warriors from the Waikato, with another craft of smaller dimensions, the Teliiki, with 42 oars, left its temporary moorings on a cruising around the visiting warships. The two craft proceeded right round the licet, and hailed each, of the vessels in characteristic greetings of typical Maori warmth, meeting-with ■a hearty response lrom the bluejackets. In charge of the Taherotikitiki was "King' Mahuta, while Kiri Opa, tike noted chief, captained the Tehiki. The sight of the primitive war canoes, ranged up beside the mighty battleships, appealed to the beholder in more senses than oire, and no small interest was taken by the American visitors in witnessing the representationbbey e the Maoris of the methods of navigation which prevailed centuries ago. The hearty greetings extended to the visiting sailors in the Maori tongue were, of course, understood by few of the battleships, but one and all were easily able to appreciate the animated spirit in which the. welcome was extended.

RETURN OF THE LEGISLATORS. Auckland, Last Night. The Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, and members of both Houses, who have been in Auckland for fleet week-, will leave on .the return trip to Wellington on Monday night nt 10 o'clock. The journey will be made via the Main| Trunk railway, overland all the way. FAREWELL MESSAGE. Auckland, Last Night. Admiral Sperry, j u a farewell message to the people of of New Zealand, says Wiat the reception accorded to the fleet has been hearty and cordial beyond expression, and cannot fail to draw closer the ties of common race and common interests in the Pacific. -MOKE THAN PLEASED." ADMIRAL'S APPRECIATION. .Naturally the life of the Commander-in-Chief of tlie fleet is a busy one during the present round of festivities, and lie has few, if any, spare moments. Rear-Admiral Sperry, however, courteously found time, before leaving the Connecticut on Wednesday morning, to comply with the request of a Herald interviewv;r for a brief statement conciruing his impressions so far ol the 'Happenings m connection with the visit of the fleet to Auckland. ''J am more than pleased with everything that has been done to make our all too brief stay here a pleasant one,'' said the Admiral. "Tlie intense cordiality ana hospitality that has marked the welcome extended to tin- fleet by tlie Government and people of New Zealand will long live in'our memories. The arrangements made for our entertainment and for the enlisted personnel of the licet in particular, is especially gratifying. The arrangements nave all been excellently carried out. Your j beautiful city has reason to be proud of itself. The honor that has been done to the licet by your Prime Minister, your Mayor, aud your people, is indeed a great one, and it lias been a proud week for us all." "The sentiments expressed in your speeches as to tlie common bond of kinship between the Americans and the British races have been most gratifying to New Zealauders," observed the interviewer. "You find, no doubt, evidences that this feeling is a reciprocal one!" "Oh, yes, unquestionably. There are evidences on every hand. This being tb-e first port in British, possessions that we have called at during our cruise, the cordiality of the brotherly feeling is most pleasing. Than, again, the pleasure of lying in your magnificent harbor in company with the vessels of the British nav'y lias not been the least agreeable incident of the visit. In the Eastern waters wv have frequently met the British ships, but this is the first occasion during the present cruise that we have dropped ancuor together. 'llia spirit of friendly emulation that exists between the officers and men of the two fleets has an excellent effect all round, and the more,' frequent the meetings the better for both." On the subject of Monday's military parade being broached, the Admiral said that lie was deeply impressed with the discipline and bearing of tlhe troops. He had a special word of praise for the school cadets who were on parade. "I think," he said, "that you have a most careful system of training the youth of the Dominion. The small boy is naturally militant in his nature—it is an inherent characteristic of the An-glo-Saxon blood—and one of the greatest safeguards of a country is the proper instruction of its youth in defending its shores should the necessity arise. There is still more than this, moreover, to be said for the system. It affords the means of an excellent physical training, and on this point alone its advantages can scarcely be over-estim-ated." AMERICA'S PROTECTING ARM.

To us it appears to be not only unwise to break forth into provocative I nonsense about America's protecting arm, and all the rust ot it, tat also unkind, mirrreualy, and undutiftil (writes tin- Dominion). Whatever opinions may ; be individually held upon the meaning j to New Zealand of a strong American j force in the Pacilie Ocean, there is y.'t _ a certain etiquette th..t should restrain j these bombastic and thoughtless folk ( who arc writing as if the alliance of New Zealand with America were a 1 mere matter for arrangement between p Admiral Spcrry and Sir Joseph Ward. I f these peo])le wore asked to end their eloquence and propound a practical policy to give effect to their views, what would they say? That Britain and America should arrange a formal Treaty of a large and weighty character, and that the Anglo-Japanese Treaty should be denounced. But New Zealand is not competent to make any such suggests n. The foreign policy of Great Britain is, wiUi one reservation, entirely a matter for British statesmen. The reservation is in favor of colonial participation in the settlement of those portions of British foreign policy directly affecting colonial interests. AAV believe that Ihc thoughtless outbursts to which we take exception will produce no good effect on the British peonlc. After all, Great Britain.is the Ihoacl of the imperial family, and British people will not be pleased to hear it sm.'eystod that America knows us better, mid is likclv to prove a better protector, than our natural parent. Ever"bodv, of course, is delighted at any cvi■'ciice of good feelinsf between America iintl great Britain, hut cordiality does pot require Now Zealand to give such reasons for welcoming the American noet as amount to a slap in the face of Great Britain. The "anti-Asiatic" olnnuonco rosiv with advantage be left to the American Bailors.