THE DUCAL VISIT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 41, 18 February 1927, Page 9

THE DUCAL VISIT.

STRIKING AQUATIC WELCOME. LINES OF YACHTS AND MOTOR BOATS. INSTRUCTIONS TO BOAT OWNERS. At 10 a.m. to-morrow the Renown leaves Suva on her way to Auckland, where she is expected to arrive at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. Details of the New Zealand tour have been sent down to Suva for the information of the Royal party, and as soon as the Duke's approval has been obtained the programme will be published. As far as Auckland's reception is concerned, one of the most attractive features should be the display by the yachts and motor boats which lias been arranged by the clubs attached to the Auckland Yacht and Motor Boat Association. At a meeting of the sub-com-mittee, presided over by Mr. C. H. T. Palmer (the acting-chairman), it was decided that every endeavour be made by all clubs to ensure a spectacular aquatic welcome, and that the instructions given by the harbourmaster should be strictly observed by all pleasure craft. The success of the display will largely depend on the leave given to crews of boats by their employers on the morning of Tuesday next, and appeals for this leave to be given have been made by the Mayor (Mr. G, Bail don) and the president of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr. A. G. Lunn)). All sailing craft are to keep on the southern shore of the harbour and the Rangitoto side of the channel: all motor craft to keep on the northern side of tho harbour and the Cheltenham Beach side of the channel, all inside the five fathom line. Sailing craft, wherever possible, arc to keep in line with craft of their own class, headed by the leader. Motor boats arc requested to give towing assistance to all sailing craft requiring same wherever possible. It is particularly requested by the Association that flag etiquette be strictly observed. Simply stated, the only flags that should be flown outsHc a private flag should be, in sailing craft, the ensign at the peak and the club flag at the masthead, and in motor craft the ensign on the jackstaff on stern and club flag on mast or jackstaff. When passing H.M.s. Renown in procession the ensign should be dipped and rehoisted. No flag? should be flown in the rigging. Harbourmaster's Instinct ions. The following instructions have l>ccn drawn up by Captain Sergeant, and arc to be carefully followed:— "(1) Pleasure craft will assemble in the Rangitoto Channel at S a.m. on Tuesday on the shore side of the livefathom banks. "(2) Eight launches will act as patrol boats, and each launch will fly a blue pennant with the word 'patrol' in white letters. Flags will be provided by the Auckland Harbour Board. Launch Konaki will patrol the harbour between the man-of-war anchorage and Devonport Sandspit beacon. "(3) AH vessels must carry out all instructions immediately they are issued by the patrol launches. "(4) After H.M.s. Renown has entered the channel small craft will procecd inwards, but they must not proceed to the westward of a line drawn from the eastern breakwater to Calliope Dock until H.M.s. Renown and HM.s. Diomede have anchored in the man-of-war anchorage. "(">) After the warships have anchored, pleasufc craft will form in line of procession, patrol l>oats leading, and pass on the north side of warships, thence round H.M.s. Renown, and proceed down harl>our on the south side of the warships. "(6) AH merchant trading and pleasure vessels are prohibited from using the area between the five-fathom banks from abreast of the Rangitoto beacon to the man-of-war anchorape between the hours of S a.m. and !t.30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 22, 1927."