OVER 20,000 VISIT THE SHIP.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14667, 16 May 1913, Page 7

OVER 20,000 VISIT THE SHIP.

THE SEARCHLIGHT DISPLAY.

DUNEDIN'S CHILDREN FOR LYTTELTON.

Yesterday opened threateningly in tho matter of the weather—leaden skies, and light rain and wind, contrasting with the beautiful smishino and calm that so happily characterised "Children's Day," but in the end performance proved better than promise, for tho clouds cleared away, and the threatened rain with them, and though a, southerly breeze made tho atmosphere sharp, tho sun shone out at intervals, and thoro was nothing to seriously complain of in tho day. That this was so, was tho moving of tho crowds that divided themselves between tho chance of soeing tho big warship at Lyttelton, and tho chance* of seeing her men in athletic tests and on holiday bent at tho Trotting Ground at Addington. Twenty thousand made the first choice, and some 15,000 to 18,000 tho second. It was the Thursday halfholiday, honco the largo numbers freed.

Tho great crowds that went to sco tho ship included country school-child-ren in the forenoon. These , were from schools along the Springfield and Whiteeliffs branches, and from Islington to Rolleston, about 600, Rapaki Natives 10, Waiau, etc., 117, and Cass, etc., 24. They were accompanied by parents and friends, which mado them more difficult for tho marshal, Mr E. U. Just, and the ship's staff to control than tho very much larger numbers of tho previous day who wero purely under their teachers, and marched through in squads.- Parents wished their hopefuls with them, which broke the sequonco 'and lessened the facility of their passage, and the number of adults as general visitors, too, increased tho difficulty of holding together the youngsters. Still, everything went off happily. The general public flocked on board on tho opening of tho wharf gates at 9 a.m.; tho schools began to a.rrive at 10 a.m. The afternoon, however, aftor tho business places closed, saw the greatest rush, and then tho ship and the wharves and approaches were densely crowded, and the excellence of the Harbour Board's arrangements and the patience and tact and good humour of the ship's company, were put to the greatest test, and emerged triumphant. In the evening the searchlight display attracted more- thousands to the Port. The ship will be again open to-day, but only to country schools in the forenoon and to, adults from 1.30 to 5 p.m. The same to-morrow, tho Cadets, however, going in the -forenoon. On Sunday the only hours will be from 1.30 to 5 p.m. The Harbour Board, anticipating still greater crowds on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, is putting up a stout boarded fence across the wharf at tho present barrier, to facilitate tho safe handling of the in and out traffic. Tho sports at the finely-equipped Metropolitan Trotting Ground drew largo crowds of tho public, and were evidently keenly appreciated by the sailors, who mingled freely with the citizens, all of whom had a friendly word for them and were evidently determined to mako the visitors feel at home iv Canterbury. The sailors' gun drill was particularly appreciated and all seemed to relish the very fine Exhibition Trotting Race, won by tho sterling littlo mare Emmelino. Thousands present had never seen a trotting race before, and they appeared to like it well. To-day the motor run to Kaiapoi and Rangiora, with sports at the latter place, is tho big feature of the entertainment, but there is also interest in a hockey match at Sydenham Park, and to-night there will be the Citizens' Ball, for which such elaborate preparations have been made, and which should prove a huge success ac tho centre-piece of tho citizens' hospitality to tho officers. Yesterday we published a telegram from Dunedin, stating that the Railway Department had informed the Secretary of the Otago Board of Eduj cation that in view of the difficulty of tendering tho ship at Otago Heads, children might now be conveyed free to Lyttelton and Timaru. It will be rei membered that Captain Halsey, replying to a Dunedin enquiry as to the ship going up, cabled from Melbourne suggesting that the children bo brought j North,.as it was doubtful whetherthey could visit the ship at tho Heads. Now our contemporary, "The Evening News," has made the practical suggestion that Christchurch citizens billet the children of our Southern friends for the one or, probably, two nights necessary, and the idea has been heartily taken up by liis Worship tho Mayor, and endorsed by Captain Hal- I sey, the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, and Mr Hislop (Under-Secretary for Internal Affairs). It would bo a grace- ! ful and neighbourly thing to do. The j occasion has made a good opportunity for the inauguration here of what is a growing custom in some other countries —the interchange of visits between tho children of neighbouring towns and of city and country. Dunedin children who experienced Christchurch hospitality to-day, and saw the Cathedral City, as well as the battle-cruiser,

A DOMINION RECORD.

MANY THOUSANDS ATTEND THE SPORTS.

would be tho more likely in years to come to co-operate as Dunedin men with tho men of Christchurch in any movement for mutual good.