AMUSEMENT FOR THE CREW.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 78, 2 April 1913, Page 5

AMUSEMENT FOR THE CREW.

BIG PROGRAMME OF SPORTS ARRANGED. A big athletic carnival that has been arranged in connection with the visit of 11.M.5. New Zealand includes a number of sporting events that in Auckland i have seldom before been embraced in! : euch a short period. The programme ! I celebrations will comprise football I I matches, a boxing carnival, sports in i the Domain, and an aquatic display on '■ the harbour arranged by the Royal' Yacht Squadron and the New Zealand ■ Power Boat Asociation. j A meeting of the executive committee which has control of the celebrations was held yesterday in the Town Hall. The Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr) presided, ■ and the following representatives of various sporting organisations were present at the invitation of the committee: Major A. Plugge, Messrs. J. J. Mulvihill, H. Frost, M. J. Shealian, J. Twiname and Commodores J. L. R. Bloomfield (Royal Yacht Squadron), and W. J. Jagg 3 (New Zealand Power Boat lAssociation). A sports meeting, to be held in the Domain on May 3, has been arranged by the Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycle Chib. The City Council is not , making any charge for the use of the I grounds, but a small charge for admisj sion will be made for the purpose of a prizes purchase fund. Any balance that j may be left over afjer paying for prizes will be handed to the executive as a. contribution towards the expenses of entertaining the battleship's crew. The club will be guaranteed by the City Council against any loss to its funds as . a result of the meeting. • On Wednesday a shooting match is to ■be held at Penrose between representatives of the crew of the battleship and some of the local territorial; force..\Arrangementr-. for" the; miichXefftßeing made by M« joi ,l Pleggc. : ' • •>-•<-.: ,T t T .'." ' A football tournament -is b* held on Saturday, May JO, under the joint control of the Auckland Rugby Union and the Auckland Football Association. The former club intends, if possible, to bring up the Tauranga team to play off theannual fixture on this date, while the Association will endeavour to arrange a seven-a-side tournament. The representatives of both sides are to arrange details and report to the executive.

Arrangements for the aquatic display have not yet been definitely fixed, pending reports from Commodores Bloomfield and Jagg 3. It is thought probable that the event will take place on Sunday, May 11, the date of the battleship's departure from Auckland.

The , Northern Boxing Association have in hand the arrangements for a boxing tournament which it is proposed to hold in the Drill Hall on the evenings of Friday and Saturday, May 9 and 10.

The whole matter of local celebrations in connection with the battleship's visit was gone into at a conference held yesterday morning between the Hon. H. D. ' Bell (Minister for Internal Affairs), the Mayor (Mr. C. J. Parr), and the chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board (Mr. J. H.. Gunson). The Minister approved of the programme and requested the Mayor to suggest dates on which the Government could afford a number of the crew an opportunity of visiting Kotorua. The Minister expressed his intention of being in Auckland during the festivities. The citizens' ball bids fair to be aa eminently successful function. The indications are that there will be a very heavy demand for tickets, so that it is necessary, in order to save confusion, that early applications should be made to the secretary, Mr. Graham Reid, Imperial Buildings, Queen Street. At a. meeting of the supper committee held yesterday, ifc was decided to ask for tenders from three firms for the stfpply of refreshments. The other matters controlled by this committee are proceeding satisfactorily. DEVONPORT CONTRIBUTION. The Borough Council of Devonport feels that the marine suburb, on the administration of whose affairs it spends so many hours at ordinary and special meetings, will occupy a very special position right in the' full glare of the limelight when the visit of the battleship New Zealand is celebrated with due ceremony. Last night it considered the invitation of the Mayor of Auckland to contribute to wards the cost of entertaining the crew and officers of the New Zealand. The general feeling was, however, that any proposal to epend borough funds on sucii a matter (and this will be agreed to generously) should be considered in the light of the special circumstances which make it fitting that money should be spent on gala attire for Devonport at the time of the visit, ft'he matter was left in the hands of the Mayor to offer £30 as a contribution from Devonport, and at the same time to explain to the city executive committee, the wishes of the Borough Council. It will be Temem"bered that the Devonport . decorations were unusually effective during the visit of the United States fleet.

DATES EXTENDED.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

The battleship New Zealand will remain in WelUnjrfcon from the 12th to the 24th inst., instead of the 23nd aa pre-