AS THE SHIP SAW IT.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14666, 15 May 1913, Page 7

AS THE SHIP SAW IT.

SOME OTHER ASPECTS OF CHILDREN'S I>AY.

(Bγ orcn steciju- beporteb.)

The New Zealand and her crew wero prepared yesterday for attack, but it was an attack that was to be welcomed, and not repelled, an attack of nearly 10,000 young Now Zealanders marched and marshalled on the wharf and divided into handy squads -when they reached tho deck, they were at once captured by gallant seamen and marines.

Smiling and jolly guides and captors these made. They mot tho bombardment of questions with unfailing patienco and good nature, while they unfolded tho mysteries of tho superstructures, bridges, searchlights, 4.7 guns, 12in. gun turrets, and tho wonders of the underworld of the decks. It was a stirring sight to see tho boys and girls, hundreds of tht-m little more than toddlers, climbing in through the lower manholes of the turrete and clambering out on top of the grim fortresses, scaling tho dizzy heights of bridges and superstructures, ascending and descending ladders, and displaying apparently greater case and agility in; negoti«ting them than their guides to tho manner

trained. They romped round the turrets, stroking and patting the big 12in. guns, peering down their muzzle, and embracing tho 4.7's with amazing familiarity. They wandered through ajleyways and mess-decks, laughing and joking with tho blue-jackets and taking in everything they saw with tho easy aoceptanco of childhood. They saw far more than grown-up visitors, and they displayed wonderful intelligence.

WORK UNDER DIFFICULTIES,

In tho cabins and offices below, the ship's company had to carry on their daily routine to the. accompaniment or a continuous noisy tramp, tramp, of hundreds of feet, but they bore it all with a fortitude that surprised the casual visitor. At Cape Town the performance, on a miK-h larger scale, had ntart«*l, it was renewed at Durban, and had been heard and witnessed at Wellington. Napier. Gisborne, and Auckland. In one day at Capo Town, the tihip had been invaded by more than 20,000 children, and the 10.000 of yesterday did not disturb her company in tho slightest degree. Every man carried out his allotted task with quiet unconcern, and yet found time to enjoy t-he. now familiar sight. The men faced the batteries of thousands of eyes, and replied to the waves of questions. The men of IJ.M.S. New Zealand are very anxious for every man. woman, and child in New Zealand, who wishes to do so, to see and inspect their splendid fighting machine.

A MUCH-VISITED SHIP

No .ship ever listed in the "Royal Navy, has received onetenth of the visitors that have boarded tho New Zealand since, she Mas commissioned barely six months ago. Hundreds of ships, many as fine as tho New Zealand, have passed, and will pass, through their whole careers in the Navy without receiving visitors other than officials and the friends of the officers and crew. Nearly four hundred thousand bavo crossed the gangways of tho New Zealand in three months, and the ship has only completed half of her Dominion tour, ami haa yet to cross the Pacific and round two fiidee of tho American Continent.

THE EARLIER NEW ZEALAND

Our visitor is not- the first ship to bear that name in tho Imperial Navy, there was a battleship of tho same name built in 190"). She has never visited New Zdaland; she is a proDreadnought, and one of tho finest of her day and generation. But she never attracted more than passing notice; she received no more visitors than tho average warship on the Home station. She is still on active service, under tho name- of Zealandia, hur iirst name being taken from her and given to tho greater ship, which now lies in Lyttelton. The new New Zealand, the first gift ship of an overseas Dominion to the British Navy, has in as many months as the old New Zealand numbers years ,■ of existence, achieved a fame which has fallen to the lot of no other warship iv tho scrutiny of tho people.

THE PLACE SHE WON

Tho New Zealand has won a placo in tho hearts of tho people who gave her to the Navy. She is loved by the children, who pour on board her in thousands. Sho is the greatest and most wonderful object-lesson ever seen in New Zealand or any other British Dominion, and she is daily teaching a lesson that .will, never'be forgotten. It is ft lesson that has always been more <w less in the minds of British people, but which is being brought home to them as never before. The Now Zealand has come to show the people of ■■■ New Zealand something of the might of tho Navy, and she tells them far linoro . effectively than any writing or speech-making can ever do—that the ♦iFleet of England is her all in all." She ia daily converting hundreds of people for whom the words of Tennyson had had little meaning, and she is , teaching the children tho lesson that ■" will bo remembered all their lives.

HOW ALL HANDS HELPED

Everyone on board was on tho alert, and tireless in their efforts to provide for the pleasure and convenience of their young visitors. Commander Grace spent the whole day -on deck, and was. never at rest for a minute Hβ worked whole-heartedly in directing affairs on the ship, counselling tho anxious teachers, directing the children from the amidship deck, smoothing over ©very little difficulty, helping lost toddlers to find their bigger brothers and sisters, providing relays of seamen and marines as escorts for the continuous streams, his quick eye following every movement of tho flow aiid ebb of the tide of youth. He was ably assisted by tho officers of the day and. the midshipmen, and by the men who acted as guides. Over two hundred men were away at Ashburton, several hundred, more were required to carry on the day's routine, for the work of; a warship never stops, and it required the foresight and energy of tho Commander to provide sufficient men to act as escorts. Howhe found so many was a mystery known , only to the Navy man, but he and his men succeeded admirably.

ONE MAN'S RECORD,

One tired, but still smiling petty officer modestly confessed, in reply to Commander Grace's query, that ho had piloted thirty parties through the ship, and there -were many others whose records were as good- Nobody can hope to have moro than a superficial inspection of the ship on visiting days. Yesterday's programme provided for 8295 children and teachers* but that number was exceeded. There were a few complaints from some of the elders that they were hurried, or that they had nobody to show thorn round, bat these people failed to realise that in \ eight hours . tho thousands of visitors could not hope to have more than a passing view, or that it was impossible to supply moro than a Certain number of guides.

A HUGE SUCCESS.

"Children's Day" was a lingo success, »nd the youngsters wero delighted and satisfied.

Railway officials, who held up trains for belated parties, and who hundled the heavy traffic splendidly, marshals and other officials in charge of the wharf arrangements, and the officers nod men of the Now Zealand, are all to be warmly commended; There-was not a hitch or accident of any kind. In fact, during the whole of her cruise -whether she has been Alongside a wharf or lying at anchor, nearly 400,000 adults and children hare been passed in and out of tho ship without a single mishap. Yesterday the inestimable advantage of having tho ship alongside the wharf was fully apparent. "Children's Day" would have been a "nightmare," and might not Jiave taken place, had the warship "been anchored down the harbour. Certain it is that not one-quar-ter of the children who saw the ship to mich advantage. could have been handled if she had been out in tho stream.

WHERE HONOUR LS DUE

Great praise is due to Messrs J. , T. Norton, M. J. Miller, J. R. Webb, and en energetic volunteer staff of ladies and gentiemen who had tho commis«»nat arrangements in their charge. Tho Railway. Social Hall presented a wonderful sight as the thousands of children passed in through one door, wL ha " de «l Paper-bags containing bmm and cakes, and cups of ginger beer or hot cocoa ac they filed through * narrow gangway and passed out , through another door. The arrangemeat* worked splendidly, and though

at times it was a strenuous task to supply the wants of the hungry children, thero was no hitch and no confusion.

WHAT CAPTAIN HAL.SEY THOUGHT.

"They arc a splendid crowd of children," "remarked"Captain Halsey to a reporter. ''They are about the most orderly and well-behaved young people that f have seen. It is a great pleasure for mc to see them, and I hope they will thoroughly enjoy themselves." Cantain Ha'lsey added that he was grejitlv pleaded with the arrangements for handling the children, and was delighted to have such a crowd of happy young Tii-itors.

AFTER NEW ZEALAND

Hero is the programme of the remainder of the battle-erui«er's tour after leaving Auckland. .June 28th: — Fiji—July Ut to July Jth. Honolulu—July 12th to July 18th. Vancouver— J illy 25th to August 2nd. Aeapuleo—August 10th to August 12th. Panama—August 10th to August 18th. Callao—August 22nd to August 26th. Valparaiso—August 30th to September Gfcli. Monte Video —September loth, to September 19th. Rio d« Janeiro —September 22nd to September 29th. Trinidad —October Bth to October l'Hli. Barbados—October 13th to October loth. Antigua--October lGth to October 13th. Jamaica—October 2Ut to October 27th. IWminto—October 31st to Novem-br-r 10th.

THE MOTOR RUN

For the motor run to Rangiora and sports on Friday, in which somo two hundred sailormen will take part, the following arrangements have been made: —Motor-tars will approach Cranmer square via Armagh street from the oast turn to tlu> right on the east side of the square, and line up in succession on the west side of Crantner square, facing south—throe ears abreast. .Cars to be in position by UM) a.m., and tho return home will begin at tt.4> p.m. On arrival at Christchureh, the procession will turn to the right at Durham street, then to the right at Armagh street, and lino up in Cranrner square as at starting- Owners are requested to decorate their cms. The owners are to bo the. guests of the Rangiora Reception Committee at luncheon.

AT KAIAPOI

Mr V. I. Cowlishaw, Mr T. Maude, and Mr G. W. Huliue have -arranged with Mr Wylie, the Mayor of Kaiapoi, that tho motor excursion shall assemble there at 10.10. The Mayor will ask the business people to proclaim a holiday from to,n to eleven, to provide morning ten, and that "the motorists shall assemble four abreast from tho Mandrville Hotel to the bridge.

HELPING THE INSTITUTE.

Captain Halsey has granted permission to his men to give a concert on Monday evening next in the 'Theatre 'Royal in aid of tho funds, of the Lyttelton Seamen's Institute. Tho conoert will be under tho patronage of Captain Halsey and the officers of tho Navy League.

FRIDAY'S HOCKEY MATCH.

The following team will represent the Territorials in. the hockey match against a team from H.M.S. New Zealand, which will be played at Sydenham Park on Friday, at 3 p.m.:— Goalkeeper, 0. Butterfield; backs. P. Berry, W. Skelton; halves, W. Loighton, J. B. Le Mottee, W. Sinclair; forwards, J. E. Adams. H. Key, E. Cummias, F. G. Ludbrook, R. G. Holland; emergencies, Bisman, Newman, Coates, Cotton, and H. Ellis. The Now Zealand's team is as follows :— Goal, Midshipman Barlow; .backs, Lieutenant North, Engineer-Lieutenant Marshall; halves, Lieutenaut Westall, Lieutenant Walker-Jonas, Sub-Lieu-tenant Barcroft; forwards, Commander Grace, Lieutenant Coppinger, Captain Mount, R.M.A.. Midshipman Bowlky, Staff-Surgeon Clark Hall. Colours, all black, cresfc on breast.

DUNEDIN'S CASE

BEST COME TO LYTTELTON

(special to • tkk press.") DUNEDIN, May 14. Tho Secret.'iry of the. Otago Education Board has received advice from tho Railway Department that in view of tho possible difficulty in tendering tho battleship New Zealand off Otago Heads in the eventoori r bad weather, the "line of distance" stipulation has been abandoned—that is to say, tho school children may now be conveyed free (under tho prescribed conditions) to either Lyttelton or Timaru, but not of course to both. There seems to be a.general feeling in Dunedin that the boarding of tho battleship may prove hazardous, and in response to an appeal from many citizens, tho Mayor telegraphed to. tho Hon. Mr Herries* to see if thero is any chance of excursion rates to Eyttelton being granted. The Minister has replied that he is enquiring into the matter.

MR MASSEY COMING TO-MORROW

- Mr B. Moore, chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, received a message from the Prime Minister that he will leave Wellington to-day, and will arrivo in Christchurch to-morrow morning. Mr Massey expects to attend the Rangiora outing and the citizens' ball. The Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes also attends both, and the Hon. W. H. Herries attends the ball.

It is possible that in the motor run for tho men to Rangiora to-morrow, a short stay may be made at Kaiapqi, where the cars will line up along Raven quay and the parties would have an opportunity to get a smoke and a glass of ale after the twelve or thirteen milo spin from town. Arrangements aro being made accordingly by tho executive of the Motor-car Committeo. It is possible this intimation may give time for the Kainpoi citizens to turn out in force on the. occasion, with either the Cadets, if they are on hand, or all combined.

ST. JOHN AMBULANCE.

Followiug their usual custom, the local committee, of the St. John Ambulance Association is making preparations to hold the annual ambulance day at, Lyttelton to-morrow. The committee's only revenue for carrying on its useful and disinterested work is from Ambulance Day and other donations, but the public in most cases recognises this, and it is hoped that the response to the appeal of the- many whitefrocked helpers -wearing tho badge of the Association will be. as generous tomorrow as it has been in the past. Contributors of silver or gold coins will receive a small ribbon badge which will bo their passport for the rest of th_« day. Tho Lyttelton Borough Council has kindly placed a room at the Council Chambers at the disposal of tho committee, and in view of the large numbers who will be in t<j see the New Zealand, the collection should be a good one. Tho Society had its sisters on duty on the battle-cruiser yesterday in case of need to the little ones, and during the stay of the battle-cruiser Nursing Sisters from the ChristchurcK. Selwyn, and Papanui divisions will be in attendance to assist with the children and render first-aid in case of accidents.