THE ADMIRAL SAYS ADIEU.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 116, 17 May 1924, Page 11

THE ADMIRAL SAYS ADIEU.

MITCH IMPRESSED BY WELCOME. "I do not like saying farewell," de- j clared Admiral Field, commander of the Special Service Squadron, addressing members of the Press on board the Hood last evening. "We have been very much impressed by all the kind- , ness we have received and by the whole- I hearted way in which we have been welcomed here, and we shall carry j away the most pleasant associations, i "I think this visit has been a. very great education to the members of the fleet. Officers and men have seen more i of the country than they have in any other part of the Dominions already visited, owing to the excellent facilities for travel provided by your authorities. "Of course this visit has been a lesson j to the people in the development of the Navy. But to all of us it has teen very interesting. Our men had. never seen the Dominions —they were mostly I in the war—and this experience will .benefit them enormously both from a ! naval and Empire point of view—it j •will broaden their outlook. Instead of ' having to read in books about the i Dominions, they have now seen them— I seen the harbours and ports and met the people. Instead of having a dim vision of Empire, they have seen its enormous countries containing people of their own nationality and education. It is a wonderful benefit, and you can hardly calculate its value, when you. come to realise that, there are 5000 naval men doing the round of the Dominions. '.You may be sure that when officers and men return home they will distribute the knowledge tbey have gained in every city, town and village in the Old Country, and I think this will mean a big stimulus to immigration. There are people at Home who are diffident about going to a far-distant land until they know first-hand all about it. We will be able to tell these people of the great Empire lands overseas." The Admiral stated tbat they had been greatly interested in the Maori people, with their wonderful traditions I and characteristics —a people of a much hugher caste than the coloured peoples of other lands. , "I hope your Government will go on with the scheme for a second cruiser," said the Admiral in passing reference to New Zealand's isolated position. This isolation demanded the building up of defence. The Admiral was pleased with the very aelf-contained naval dockyard, and also expressed himself as haying been impressed by the site at Tamaki for a proposed aeroplane base. "The New Zealanders were described by the Admiral as "hardly any different" _to the people of England. The Australians were more demonstrative than the New Zealanders and, in Sydney at least, were a little more "American," but with them both there was just the same hospitality and kindness. The people of Hobart, he had noticed, were very like the people in New Zealand. The distinguished sailor once more expressed his appreciation of New Zealand and its people, and then bade the Pressmen a courteous and cordial adieu.