PUBLIC INTEREST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 205, 31 August 1933, Page 8

PUBLIC INTEREST.

CROWDS ON WHARF. INSPECTION AT WEEK-END. VAIMED- SPORTS PROGRAMME The keen public interest taken in the visit of the Australian cruisers was shown in the largo crowds that went to tlio Central wharf to view the Canberra this morning. Although the crowd were not allowed on board, they were able to go right to the ship's side. Both the Canberra and Australia will be open for public inspection on Saturday and Sunda", from 1.30 p.m. until 4.30 p.m. j iNii'-.Vlnilml Dalglisli, who has been indisposed for several days, left for Rotorua this morning. It is not expected that he will return until next week. The customary official calls were made on board the flagship to-day. Official callers included the deputy-Mayor, Mr. A. J. Entrican, representing the City of Auckland, Mr. T. B. Clay, chairman of I tlio Auckland Harbour Board, and Commander I'i. Lvon Bcrthon, officer in charge of the naval base. The calls were returned, by the rear-admiral's chief staff officer and the officer commanding H.MA.e. Australia. A Week in Port. For the week that the Australian Squadron will be in port a large and varied programme of sports and social events has been arranged, and keen interest is being taken in the intersquadron events. On Saturday afternoon the representatives of the rival squadrons will meet in a Soccer match at Blandford Park, the trophy in dispute being a shield presented some years ago for annual competition when the movements of the squadrons made such possible. For a golf match to be played at Middlemore on Sunday afternoon the following Dominion Squadron team lias been chosen: Commodore Burges Watson, Captain Graham, Commander P. B. K. W. William-Powlett, LieutenantCommander C. D. Arbutlmot, Lieu-tenant-Commander B. P. Nichols, Lieutenant K. S. Backhouse, Lieutenant T. G. B. Winch, and Sub-Lieutenant 11. R. A. Kidston. On Monday a representative hockey match is to be played at Devonport in the afternoon, and boxing contests will bo staged at the base in the evening. The concluding event in the inter-squadron sports programme will be a Rugby football match to be played at Eden Park on Tuesday afternoon. The Social Side. Officers of both the Australian and New Zealand Squadrons will be entertained at the Officers' Club this evening. To-morrow evening the visiting officers will be- the guests of Commodore Burges Watson, and later a private ball will bo held*,, at the naval base, with tho New Zealand officers as hosts. On Saturday evening the Auckland branch : of the Navy League will give a dance for the companies of all ships, and 011 Sunday a party of 23 Australian officers will be entertained at tea at Mr. Kenneth Mackenzie's residence in the Waitakere' Ranges. A ball for the officers of both squadrons will be staged by the Navy League in the Town Hall on Tuesday evening. A trip to Rotorua for sixteen officers has been arranged by the Government.

Tho entertainment of the men is in the hands of the Navy League. A clubroom and buffet have been established on the Central wharf, aand dances and concerts will be held in the evenings. The visiting cruisers are to sail next Wednesday morning. In company with the Dunedin and Diomede, they will carry out gunnery exercises in the Hauraki Gulf for three days before going South. The Dominion warships will also go South after refuelling at Auckland and will meet the Australian ships again at Wellington at the end of September, when another mock battle will be fought.