OUR DREADNOUGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 299, 10 May 1913, Page 5

OUR DREADNOUGHT.

VISIT TO NEW PLYMOUTH. THE QUESTION OF EXTENSION. ' The Mayor of New Plymouth (Mr. G. W. Browne) last evening received the following wire from the Hon. H. D. Bell, the Acting Minister for Marine: I have received during the train journey frbm Auckland to Wellington your 'telegram of the 7th insfc. and supporting telegrams from the Mayors of Eltham, Inglewood, Hawera, Stratford and Waitara. I ask you to publish the following for general information:— Firstly, the battle cruiser New Zealand is required by the Admiralty to leave Auckland for Vancouver On June 28:'. . • Secondly, the seven days at Auckland between June 21 and 28 are absolutely necessary to refit, provision and coal prior to their voyage to Vancouver. Thirdly, one of the two days at Russell is required for torpedo practice. Fourthly, there is therefore no single day after June 17 available. Fifthly, it is absolutely impossible to curtail or exclude the visit to any port prior to June 17. There are as vigorous protests from, for instance, the Bluff ,as from your district, and on the same grounds. Sixthly, it is extremely doubtful whether the vessel can be tendered at niv roadstead. The Government vessels cannot lie alongside in any serious swell of the sea. ' Seventhly, the captain has decided definitely that he will not lie at any nislit except within a port, possibly except Nelson. Eightly, though the captain has been very considerate, lie and not the Government decides, and I especially wish you and your brother mayors to'understand that however anxious the Government may be to give opportunity to all, as, of eourse, we are, we cannot more than represent your requests. Please remember that the total time of the ship's visit is only ten weeks, and in that time it is impossible to arrange that the whole people bordering the sea can visit the ship. We have taken numbers by railway from greater districts to the ports within which the ship can lie and have done our best. Ninthly, I will send your telegrams to Captain Halsev and represent to him your reasons, but I feel sure that the only chance of extension of days at N<>w Plymouth is that weather may force him to pass previous ports.