H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 102, 30 April 1913, Page 8

H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND.

THE CIVIC RECEPTION.

AH EN—E_TJSIASTTC f 1 ASSEMBLAGE. , a STIRRING AND PATRIOTIC c SPEECHES. ] 1 TO E NEW ZEALAND-S LESSON. I PREMIER AND CAPTAIN HALSES c ON THE VALUE OF EFFICIENCY. The scene at the civic reception to Captain Halsey and his officers in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon was an enthusiastic and stirring one. It was about twenty minutes to four when a rustle of anticipation among the great = assembly announced that our naval jj guests were on the tnreshold. A minute later, preceded by the Town Clerk (-Mr. C H. W. Wilson) and City Engineer (Mr. I"' AY. E. Bush), the officers of- the warship walked up the centre aisle in single - file, followed by the chairman (Mr. .1. f H. Gunson), and members of the Harbour Board and City Councillors. Then came .- Captain Halsey. Commander Grace, the . Prime Minister, the last being the Mayor, * wearing the insignia of office as the city's chief magistrate. The entry was greeted s with a mighty outburst of applause and ■ cheering from the standing citizens, and j, as Captain Halsey was conducted to his t seat on the platform, renewed applause f was spontaneously accorded the naval g guest. The welcoming addresses were c preceded by the singing of "Rule 15ri- 1 tannin," the rousing tones of Britain's ( sea hymn swelling through the great t •building from over three thousand 1 •throats, to the accompaniment of the t organ. J The address of welc-ome by his Worship t the Mayor, which appeared in these ' columns yesterday, was concluded amid - storms of applause, the audience rising and cheering the naval visitors with hearty goodwill. ' MR MASSEY'S TRIBUTE. The Prime Minister (Mr W. F. — Massey), when he rose to speak, was v..-.received with prolonged and enthusiastic ' ."applause. He first of all thanked the ' public of Auckland for the opportunity l they had given him of attending the cere- "• mony that day, and for the hearty recep- ' tion they had- accorded him. It afforded ' him the greatest pleasure to be able to ' - join with the • Aucklanders in their wel- ' come to His Majesty's ship New Zealand. ' (Applause.) He had had the pleasure of ' joining in the welcome accorded the battle : - cruiser at Wellington, but one thing that : pleased him about the present welcome * was that it not only came from the people 1 in-the centre of population, but from the 1 peoplei away, out in the:bush clearings— ' the men and women who were doing the ' work of pioneer settlement—the men and ' women in the gumfields,_and- every section J ' of the community. Th is- welcome was . being extended, not only because the ship . was New Zealand's contribution to the Motherland, but because it was a British :; ship,"" manned by British officers and - British seamen, and because we were. ; British people. (Loud applause.) We wore extending the welcome because the [' • ship was one of the great fleet upon ' - which our supremacy, even the very ] existence of the Empire, depended. The ; present was the first occasion on which many young New Zealanders had seen a ' modern and up-to-date warship, a warship ' which he believed could hold its own against any in the world at the present .jmoment. (Applause.) He joined with one of the speakers at the previous ceremony in expressing the hope that the time would never come when the ship would be called upon to show her capabilities, but he felt certain that if such a time ever did come she would be triumphant or go down with all colours flying, as many another good ship had done. (Applause.) There was no thought of defeat by Captain Halsey at Ladysmith (applause), and there would never be any talk of surrendering on the part of him or his gallant men aboard his ship New Zealand. If ever the ship went into action the flag at the masthead must of course be the British ensign. Applause.) FOSTERING IMERIALISM. "Speaking as a New Zealander," continued Mr Massey, "I would like to see associated with the emblem of the British ensign the emblem of the flag of New :. Zealand.' Our ship is perfectly safe in - -the hands of Gap—in Halsey and his men if it is ever required." (Applause.) The Prime Minister then went on to . refer to the point raised by the Mayor as to the educational value of the visit of the New Zealand. There was, he said, not the slightest doubt that the visit of the vessel would be an object lesson to young New Zealanders, and would teach them some of the privileges they received as z'tizens of the British Empire. It should go to teach them their duty from an Imperial point of view, and to teach them to think Imperially. In this connection he would like to suggest that the Motherland should take the apportunity of sending one or two of her warships to visit all the colonial ports every year, or, if this was impossible, every two j-ears. (Loud applause.) Such visits would make for the combination of the Empire, and would do a great deal in the binding of the Empire, and if ever the time came when he, as Prime Minister, had to attend an Imperial Conference, he would impress that point upon the Imperial authorities. (Applause.) Nothing should be left undone to draw together as closely as possible the different parts of the Empire, and to foster tbe Imperial spirit. Speaking as an Imperialist and a New Zealander, he would venture to say that never was there a time when there was more of a tendency to draw the Empire closer together—never was the Empire more united than it was just now, and this was the feeling they should do all they could to encourage. (Warm applause.) THE GOSPEL OF PREPAREDNESS. All the young nations of the Empire were now preparing to bear their share of tbe burden of -Empire, and the whole movement throughout the Empire to-day was along the lines of preparedness and efficiency. For it had become fully recog- ' nisi— that without preparedness and efficiency our loyalty and patriotism would count for very little in the "■' supreme hour of trial. (Loud applause.) c' The events in the Balkan Peninsula during the past few months had of them- ;!; selves taught a lesson in the value of ~, .-prcpajednese, as against unpreparedness. '*; Both peoples were equally brave and "' £S lu ' a S &OUS > hufc;one side was ready and "' 3S c '' il - lio ->a a J f 'ot.;-The result was that ""»•? of Europe was being altered, • .*»» -"a of 4ho_and».jof people were

being slaughtered. Let us of the British Empire take such an awful object lesson to heart and be ready. (Applause.) Our duty would not be done till there were a sufficient number of warships and a sufficiency of officers and men to meet' any possible combination that might come along, whether in the North Sea or in the South Pacific. (Applause.) That was the only possible guarantee ot peace, so it behoved us to do our duty as citizens of the great Empire to which we belonged, and having dove it, we could leave the result in the hands ol Higher Powers. The Premier concluded his speech by quoting a verse from Kipling's recessional hymn, the audience, at the concluding lines, •'Lord God of hosts he with us yet; Lesl we forget, lest we forget," breaking into a tumult of applause and cheering. CAPTAIN HAXSEY'S REPLY. A BRITISH GREETING. Gap—in Halsey then rose to respond, sud for several moments had to stand while the vast audience shouted itself Itoarse with enthusiastic huzzas, concluding with three rhythmic British cheers. "Ladies and gcnalemen," began the gallant sailor in a ringing resonant voice. -I feet it is almost impossible—in fact. I know it is quite impossible—for mc to express adequately to you the feelings 1 have now. First, to his Worship the Mayor for his kind words concerning the ship of which I have the honour to command, and the way he spoke about my officers, my ship's company, and myself; secondly, for the kind words of your Prime Minister: and thirdly, lastly, but by no means least, for the magnificent reception you have given to us officers and men to-day, coming into your magnificent and grand harbour in your ship the New Zealand. (Long applause.) Never can 1 forget to-day as we steamed in. First of all, 1 saw a few boats, then a few more, and then an "enormous lot. (Laughter.) And 1 just want to say one thing, and that is, that we who are brought up to the sea looked with admiration upon you who, perhaps, not all brought up to the sea, yet are brought up near a magnificent harbour. Seeing your boats to- j day, I fully realised that you must nearly j all be sailors. (Applause.) IN HUMOROCS VEIN. "I saw one or two slight—very slight— accidents. In one case, a fellow full of enthusiasm was standing up on a pre- ; carious balance, when another fellowtouched him, and overboard he went. But he came up, pipe still in mouth, and started to enthuse all over again. ' (Laughter and applause.) We have arrived in Auckland, and I can see we shall never forget it. I know, having been out before in New Zealand, something about your hospitality myself. But, in any case, I shall fairly be able to say I know it now. (Laughter and ap- ; plause) I once heard of an Auckland proverb, which runs thus: 'Inhale Auckland air,' and your nose will grow bigger to receive it.' (Roars of laughter.) I have also heard it said that a new ; chum never does any good until his nose has grown bigger. (Renewed laughter.) Well, ladies and gentlemen,., I do hope (And the audience shouted again at the pause.) I consider my nose I has grown bigger." (More merriment.) I The speaker went on to say that his only fear'was that his men would be ! overwhelmed with hospitality. "We have," he said, "brought SOO odd souls, who have looked forward to their reception in Auckland and elsewhere. In Wellington we had a magnificent reception; and now I want to go back on our cruise a little. HIS MAJESTY'S VISIT. The New Zealand left England, on February G, and who was the last person to come down to pay her a. visit but His Majesty the King! (Loud applause.) Why had His Majesty come down Because he wanted to show the Dominion of New Zealand what he thought of their great gift to the Empire, a gift that, as the Prime Minister had said, augured well for peace. If they wanted peace, they would have to be ready, and, as an object lesson, the gift of a Dreadnought must strike deep into the heart of every member of the Empire. They had seen the result of the lamentable war now raging in Europe, and the speaker hoped —as the Prime Minister had said —that they would always be ready for any emergency. If the time should ever come—and they wished it never might come —there would be nothing to fear if .' 'they were prepared. (Applause.) " In this great gift to the Empire," • continued Captain Halsey, " you have shown any possible enemy what to cii peet. You have shown them that Great Britain means a Greater Britain in the i true sense of the word. Speaking of a i Greater Britain, I would like to mention f the patriotism shown by South Africa ; when we ca*led at the various ports . there. We visited Capetown, Durban, , Simon's Bay, and also sent contingents ! of officers and men up to the big inland 5 centres, Bloemfontein, Johannesburg and j Pretoria, and the enthusiasm with which l we were greeted as officers and men of j the New Zealand was absolutely beyond t description. (Enthusiastic applause.) . Why was it so? Because, like you, the f South Africans are members of our great j Empire, and are of the same Imperial spirit. They wanted to let you in NewZealand know what they thought of you I for making this great gift to the Em- \ pire." (Loud applause.) f OBJECT-LESSON TO THE WORLD. ? "I want to say," continued Captain "> Halsey, "that Natal gave to your ship i a service of plate subscribed for in very 1 small sums by practically everybody in i Natal. (Applause.) Why did they do 7 it? It w-as not their ship. It was c solely because of their thoughts to ye*. '■• for presenting that ship to the Empire. 7 (Loud applause.) And let mc here say t how that great gift has been an objects lesson to the whole world, in showing c the great strength and solidarity of our c grand Empire. (Applause-) | CRADLE OF GREAT DEEDS. "Now, your Prime Minister touched on the great traditions of the Empire. To uphold the great traditions of the '• {Empire, every soul in the Empire has a got to work. And we in the Navy have c held g-reat traditions, and take peculiar , pride in upholding the traditions of the t great service to which we have the j honour to belong. It is a great and good . service. I think I am right in saying i that it is the Navy which has made in j every way Ithe British Empire. (_p--3 plause.) And it is the service from » which have been gathered those great admirals whose deeds spread the fame of England through the wide world. It j has also been the cradle of the great navigators who helped to discover the " far-off possessions of His Majesty the King. (Loud applause) Ladies and gentlemen, 1 am to-day quite sure of one thing—that if I know we have always 'had in our past to follow the lead which *|our forebears have shown ua, we will

have in the future a further incentive. The men of His Majesty's ship New Zealand possess the proud knowledge that on them and their ship arc the eyes of the whole Empire, and especially will we have on us the eyes of this your Dominion of New Zealand, which gave her to the King's service. (Applause.) FOR KING AND NEW ZEALAND. "There is a law in the Navy which runs that when on the quarter-deck all men are now in the presence of the King. On the quarter-deck of the New Zealand is a motto. 'Fear God; Honour the King.' (Applause.) Facing that motto-are the arms of New Zealand, presented by New Zealanders in England. And I cannot help thinking, and I am J sure it is so felt by everybody who mans your ship, that when on the quarterdeck of the New Zealand we are not only in the presence of Hie Majesty the King, but in the presence of tbe Dominion of New Zealand. (Loud applause-) "His Worship the "Mayor and the Prime Minister." continued the speaker, "alluded to the younger generation. Now, I do heartily agree with both of them. For it is most important that the younger generation—your children— should be brought up with a real Imperial spirit, and, with that object in view, I am glad to see that one day has been entirely set apart for the children to visit the ship. (Loud applause.) THOUSANDS OF VISITORS. Captain Halsey then — ade reference to the vast crowds that had visited the battleship at the various ports of call. "Before reaching New Zealand," he —ated, "we had 240,000 visitor- aboard, and 1 judging by the number of people, who have visited the ship in this Dominion, we shall, before we leave New Zealand, have had a quarter of the population aboard. Already we have had over 100,000 visitor& here. (iLoud applause.) I can only say that if we had the whole of the population of New Zealand aboard it would give us the greatest pleasure, but I am afraid there ie not room for everybody." (Laughter.) "I am not •trying to stop you from coming aboard, and I hope you arc all coming,*' Captain Halsey went on to state, "but I want to say how pleased I am that the children are going to have a day aboard the battleship, because when there are thousands of adults and children in attendance at the same time the children do not see as much as the adults, as they don't walk on stilts." (Laughter.) In concluding his address, Captain Halsey said that on behalf of "lis officers and men he wished whole-heartedly to thank the people of New Zealand for their splendid and cordial welcome. They realised that this spontaneous welcome was given to them os sailors of the Empire, and, although they were strangers to this pai£ of the world, they deeply appreciated the fact that, manning New Zealand's battleship, they would be treated as though they themselves were New (Continued applause.) At the conclusion of the speeches the vast audience rose to its feet, and a memorable ceremony terminated -with the singing of "God Save the King." Following the civic reception the visiting officers were interta-ined by the Mayoress to afternoon tea in the Mayor's room, the members of the Executive Committee, the Ladies' Ball and a number of other citizens attending the little social gathering.