MAKING PORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 44, 22 February 1927, Page 6

MAKING PORT.

RENOWN ARRIVES IN THE RAIN WARM WELCOME ON THE WATER. AUCKLAND'S FLEET TURNS OUT IN FORCE. The ships at the wharves were gay with bunting, and from all the Auckland moorings yachts and launches were casting off and making down harbour soon after sunrise, every craft flyin? some sort of flay. Tt was prey 'and calm, but at eight o'clock a nice breeze came from the nor'-west, and the sun. striving lo break out of the clouds, cast a silver path along the waters, on which hundreds of flitting craft were prettily outlined. To the south heavy clouds were massed, black and ominous, and the pleasant hills and the noted landmarks of the city were seen but dimly through the haze. Auckland was not in smiling mood; she lay against the waterfront wrapped in a wet blanket. Over at Devonport the warships of the New Zealand station, newly painted and flagged from stem to stern and from deck to truck, showed brightly in their silver against the s'oom of the liackground. The Renown Comes in Sight. At ci«rht o'clock tiie towering mass of the Renown was well in sight from llio harbour entrance, despite the poor visibility, and the great warship came smartly through the Rangitoto Channel, leaving the hundreds of small craft that had met her well out in a Ion"; wake behind her. At half-past eight she came out of the channel, a noble sight in her long sweep of silver prey, with the Royal Standard flying from her main, the White Ensign from her fore, and the Union Jack proud pilot at her stein. At this stage a dainty blue-clad figure emerged from a door on the starWard side, on the deck just at the head of the' quarter-deck companion ladder. It was the Duchess of York, followed by the Duke, clad in naval uniform, and as she came to the bulwarks she smiled and waved greetings to the cheering Aucklanders who raced alongside in the faster launches that had managed to keep pace with the warship, while the Duke frequently raised his hand to the salute. At this stage there was a torrent of rain. It swept the decks of the Renown and drove the Duke and Duchess to seek cover, while the bluejackets drawn up on the fo'c'sle head broke and ran for shelter. As the ship drew up to the anchorage and lay with engines stilled, the fleet of launches left astern came racing up in their hundreds, making a wonderful picture as they spread out fanwise and sped into the short oncoming seas, dashing the sprav in hi"h showers from their bows. The rain increased in volume, and when the anchors

of the Renown went down the rattle of the cable was almost drowned bv its force, and the shores of the harbour and the city itself were blotted from view. It was five minutes to nine o'clock when the anchors were let go. but five minutes later the rain squall had passed over, and Auckland was making an effort to smile a welcome, faint shafts of sunshine filtering through the clouds, and making play on the Renown and the mosquito craft which sped around her. The Duke and Duchess were again on deck acknowledging the greetings of the thousands on the water, and launch owners adopted all kinds of ruses to get close up, running right up alongside the Royal gangway. The Renown very quickly put patrol launches over the side, however, and inquisitive craft were forced to keep a respectful distance and clear a passage for the launches which came and went with officialdom. The first visit was from the Commodore of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, and then came the GovernorGeneral and his officers, who were received by the Duke tit the gangway before being escorted to the gun deck and presented to the Duchess. There followed the smart launch Wαi tenia ta, conveying the Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet to pay their respects to the Duke and Duchess and give them welcome to New Zealand. Leaving for the Shore. The Governor-General and the Prime Minister and party having departed amid a rattling of arms ami the blare of bugles, accompanied by a Royal salute of 21 guns, much curiosity was excited by the appearance of 'a marine with a clothes brush, who went along the double row of marines standing to attention and imished the breasts of their tunics. This was apparently to take off any spots which might offend a Royal eye preliminary to the inspection of the guard by * the Duke, for shortly afterwards the Duke and Duchess came down to the quarier-deek. and, while the charming lady stood at the head of the gangway, the Duke made his inspection. Every marine must have been well up to standard, for the inspection was a quick one. and the Royal couple descended to their launch while the guard presented arms, the band blared "Ood Save the King." and the cannon another peal of 21 guns. The launches of the ardent Aucklanders became so difficult to manage that they drifted right around the Royal barge, and impeded its progress for several minutes. But this was taken in good part by the Duke and Duchess at least—if it did produce signs of incipient apoplexy on the part of some of the naval officers who witnessed the crowding from the Renown—for they smiled ami waved their responses to close greetings with the greatest goodwill. Once clear, the Royal barge made good way .to the landing, followed by most of the launches, the occupants of which continued to receive the ducal salutations from where the distinguished visitors sat In the stern sheets.