DULL DAYS OVER.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18462, 17 August 1925, Page 9

DULL DAYS OVER.

City Offers Real Hospitality. even the weather relents. Sailors Enjoy Motor Excursion to « Ashley Gorge. * Christchurch is being saved from disgrace. It seemed that the City was likely to get a bad name because of the rudeness of a few of its worst inhabitants, but the feeling of disapprobation felt by the general body of citizens has been strong enough to spur those citizens already friendly, to actions of real hospitality. The barrier of reserve or shyness between the citizens and the sailors is being broken down. In every town in New Zealand, even in Auckland much to the dismay, no doubt, of the Aucklanders—the sailors have confessed to feeling the days dull. They have been polite about it, but still quite frank about it. Some of them should be hoping now that the dull days in Christchurch are over. During the week-end. sailors were offered much more freely than ever before the sort of hospitality they most enjoy. Scarcely a sailor was to be seen yesterday who was not accompanied by friendly civilians, and many civilians took sailors to their own suburban homes. Nearly every motorcar seen in the City yesterday morning, setting out for the country, had sailors in the party of passengers. A big motor excursion arranged by the Automobile Association took 75 officers and 500 other ranks to Ashley Gorge, where they had a picnic lunch in warm sunshine, yet with a near view of the glistening snow. It was a glorious outing which everybody enjoyed, and most of the sailors were taken by their hosts to their homes for the evening meal. For this excursion 170 cars were offered, more than were necessary. # The rush to Lyttelton to see the ships yesterday caught the Railway Department only partly prepared. Some passengers could not be taken because the trains could not be run frequently enough to carry them. Most of those who did fight their way into carriages travelled in extreme discomfort, every carriage being overcrowded. The ships were thronged.

UP TO THE SNOW. TRIP TO ASHLEY GORGE, MOTORISTS' OUTING. Christehurcli has already jiot over its shyness with tho officers arjd men of tho American Fleet and has set cut to show that it is not always tho undemonstrative city it is reputed to bo. This was mode abundantly clear yesterday on the occasion of the trio into the country given tho visitors by tho members of the Canterbury Automobile Association. A party of 75 oliicers and bUO men was taken in motor-cars to Ashiey Gorge and back. j One Hundred and Seventy Car 3. Tho men, who came up from Lyttelton by special train, were marched from tuO olmstL'hureh .Railway Station to Worcester street, where tlicv wero drafted into waiting cars, outside tho Association's rooms. Owing to the number of motorists who desired to offer Hospitality to the visitors being more numerous than wr.s anticipated, the cas were parked up in Worcester street from Auuvjliester street to i>esron<l5 r on<l the east end of Latimer square tad some were also lined up on the west side of the square. About 9.30 a.m. the first car a left for their destination, freighted with pleased looking visitors, and the last cars did not get clear Until after 10 o'clock. Thev .mado p, fine show as they proceeded through tho City, ar.'d got on the Main North road, most pi tiio cars bedecked with Union Jacks and Stare and £ tripes. In all, there were about 17Q cars placed at the disposal of the Association, a number that proved Uloro than sufficient for the purpose, W4 as a result several motorists wore unable to get even ono sailor to rid® with them. . Tho route taken on the outward journey was through Ciarkville via the wpiro Bridge, Flaxton, Rangiora, Fernside, Cust, and Bennett's Junction to tho Gorge, ar.d on the iujourney through Glentui. Birch Hillj ilangiora, Tuahiwi and Kaiapoi, the cars stopping outside the Christchurch Art Gallery, where tea ? va s provided for tho men who desired it. A great number, however, did not y? so, as they had received invitations from their many r.ewlv made fnends to ha,ve tea at their privato houses, and had gratefully accepted tlio offers. Glimpses of Country. . The recent rains had left the roads surprisingly good condition, and there was a comnlete absence of dust, tabling tho journey to be made in comfort. 'There was a bluo sl>y over''Cad, and tlio sun, as if repentant of ■ treatment of the visitors during we p Rs t few days, shone brightly. ? lie route followed allowed tho Americans to get a good idea of the P l 'Utry— a type of outing to which are von - partial. The farmhouses iooked well in" their agricultural setr and the heavily snow-clad mouu-j-l'B surrounding tho Gorge shone 'Ke crystal in tho sunshine—a mapii- i fie l nt spectacle. ! of +l° r l s 'tnrs were loud in their praises sights revealed to them '.t each was 10 roac '- Tlie Gorgo itself ito oe&t ' *' IC overhead sum makgi?, as warm as on a summer day, son o,le uas of the sear the year b.v the hilltops showing jjj behind their thick covering of *'er a a * ew niimitgs of arrival rugs n'rvS s P rea d on the "rass, baskets were {U1( 1 tho party had an al lunch, at which visitors and Uieivp c ' own together, and had a am» time. The meal over, the men themselves by walking about inii.;_ friends o r climbing the adn S lulls, on which they enjoyed

themselves by indulging in snow fights. Others, with an eye for tho beautiful, toot the opportunity to get some snow pnotograpns. President's Welcome. Before the return trip was comnieiiced, a welcome was extended to tlio visitors on behalf of the Association, by the president, Mr W. H. Nicholson. He wag pleased, he told them, at the honour done tho Association in being allowed to entertain them at one ot Canterbury's beauty spots Happily, the weather had repented of its iU-humf ours, and the sun had commenced to shine again. Its rays, however, wero not warmer than the feelings of Canterbury people for their visitors. (Applause.) Alter referring tc the admiration New Zealanders, had for the United iStates, Mr Nicholson said that no doubt the visitors had at once felt quite at home when they saw how many American. mofcor-car& had been provided for them to ride in. Whilo speaking of cars, he was reminded of a groat American, Henry Ford, whom ho considered was one of the great philanthropists of the century. The speaker wanted America and Britain to draw closer together, for ill the co-operation of those two Englishspeaking countries lay the best hope for the peace of tho world. He hoped, in conclusion, that tho visitors would enjoy their visit to tho Dominion, and that tho present trip would be a forerunner of inhere, if such a hope wefo realised, he trusted tnat the Americans would always remember they were coining among friends. (Appiailse.) Ciieers were theji given for the visitors, who just as heartily cheered the peoplo of Christehurcli and Canterbury, and also the Canterbury Automobile Association. The visitors were further honoured by the singing of "For The- are Jolly Good Fellows." Commander Bryan (11.5.5. Yarborough), in returning thanks, expressed pleasure at the opportunity given the officers and men to see something of the province opart from tho city itself. Tho oliicers and men had made many friends during their stay in Lvttelton, he added, and, personally, he hoped some day to return and call on tlicm. Cheers Along the Route. One of the most pleasing features, of tho trip was the mutiner in which, the visitors were greeted wherever they went. At Belfast, llangipra, Kaiapoi, Tuahiwi and elsewhere, it was the same—grown-ups and children, many of whom carried flags, came forward and cheered heartily as each car passed. No better evidence could be forthcoming of the friendly feelings of tho whole of the province towards the Visitors. TO DAY'S PROGRAMME. 7.20 a.m.—.Railway excursion f° r officers and 500 men to Otjni < miios). Leave Lyttelton v.lO a.in-, arrive Otira 12.4 p.m.; leave Otira J5.50 p.m.; arrive C'hristchutch p.m. 7 p.m.-Basketball ™k J,es Ro ili! Y.M.C.A. v. The ball exhibition match between chips' teams. •130 and 7.30 p.niArt,''"Gal--8.30 p.m.—Df n f< „ erv . British and Eii r s« ilors ' :Socicty in charß ?- ,77+ Home" (informal dance), §P P} Leago® Hall. Worcester N iiv - v , warrant officers, guests

WARM WELCOME. ADMIRAL VISITS RAPAKI. TRUE MAORI HOSPITALITY. Yesterday afternoon Rear-Admiral F. H. Schoficld, Captain F. J. Homo ( U.S.S. Omaha) and Mrs Home, Lieutenant Lowell Cooper, Commander T. A. Kittinger (U.S.S. Mervine), Lieutenant B. Anderson, and Lieuteiiaut-Oom-mandir (Dr.) E. G. Haakenson (U.S.S. Y:irborough) visited Rapaki Maori pa, and wero entertained by tho Maoris at afternoon tea. Tho party was accompanied hv tho Mayor (Mr F . E. Sutton) and Mrs Sutton and several Lyttelton residents, who placed their cars at tho disposal of tho visitors. On entering the precincts of the pa the visitors wero greeted with cries of welcome, and then a party of Maori women, wearing Maori mats and the kopuro, or flax bandeaux, sang the "Haeremai" song of welcomo and a. powhiri. Tho singing of tho National Anthem was followed by a hymn in Maori, and a prnver, in Maori, by the Rev. Rakenu I'iripi, and in English by Mr T. Pitima. Tamatea's Gamp. In the absence of tho old Chief, Taare Tikuo, who has been bed-ridden for some months, the visitors wero welcomed by Mr Eruera Mnnihera. Tho speakor bid the Rear-Admiral, his officers, and men welcome to the land of the Maoris. He gave a brief outline of the settlement of Rapaki by tho Maoris, how, over six hundred years bofore, Tamatea, one of tho great Maori navigators, had cruised down tho oapt coast of the South Island as far as Bluff, wliero lie left his ennoe, aud had then marchej back overland. Ho had halted awhile at Rapaki, and had then named tho hill above tho site of the present, village Opoko a Tamatea, meaning "Tamatea's chest." Tho speaker said ho was proud to soo the representatives of the' United States of stand in this village of Rapaki, and on behalf of the Maori people ho could only bid then wolcome, or, iu the Maori tongue, "Haeremai." A number cf men and woiucn thou performed a spirited hnka of welcomo, to the evident amazement and delight of tho visitors, aft-Or which a young daughter of Mr Manihera presented Rear-Admiral Schefiold with a pioco of greenstone and a Maori floor mat. ''Pleasantly Surprised." ' "I have boon surprised before in my life," said tho Admiral, iu response, "but nevor so much surprised lis I have been this afternoon, nor so pleasantly. First let mo thnnk you, on behalf of my fellow-officers and myself, for tho mannor in which you welcomed us. When wo heard, from away up tho hillsido, your cries of welcome, Nvo were astonished. In America we wait until tho guest is across the threshold before we welcomo him, but here yon, send the welcomo to meet us." Continuing, the Admiral said that he had road, as a boy, of the Maori people, of tho strength and courago of tho men and of tho soft beauty of the women, and now he had come to for himself it had all been confirmed. Ho thanked them for their beautiful presents. They would always bo kept among his most treasured mementoes. Ho had boen most touched by tho hvmn nnd prayer in Maori. It rominaed him of tho services that he ÜBed to attend in r a similar, meeting hall in his own little !■ home-town, and h 6 felt that, whether J the'y worshipped in Maori or English, the heart spoko in the-.samo way, and there was really little difference between any of them, Maori or pakcha. I (Applause.) A number of Maori maidens then performed a graceful poi dance, and , again tho visitors demonstrated their appreciation. Afternoon tea was served, and and Maoris proeeodCd to "get together." Call Upon Aged Chief. Later, Rear-Admiral Schoficld, Captain Home and Mrs Home visited the liomb of Mr Tik&o, where they found tho old Chief sitting up in bed ill a long reception room. The Chief, who spoko with some difficulty, made a further spoech of welcome. He said that on behalf of tho Natives of the small village of Rapaki he wished to welcomo the miral aud his party. "Our people aro the true poople of New Zealand," paid the old man. "Nineteen Or twenty generations ago the Maoris first came to Now Zealand-from Hawaiki." He told of the Treaty of Waitangi, how the Maoris accepted the'Tule of Queen Victoria, and how many of their sofls had risen to eminence as Milliliters of the Crown, lawyers, and doctors. "I ask you to keep friends with us, with Britain. We should be friends." On the Admiral assenting, the speaker asked: "I tell you this word to-night that is in me, you will not forget' by to-morrowV Oh the Admiral again assuring him that he would not forget, Tikao said, "When you go back to Anioriea, you tell your President, President Coolidge, what you see about th& people of New Zealand. If you t&i troublo in Now Zealand (evidently referring to the disturbances in Christ' church) take no notice, no notice. You are a high man, a very l>igh man, and those who make the trouble —they are no clsss." The reference to the hoodlum element was appreciated to the full by his hearers. A Gift and a Kiss. A daughter of the Chief, Mrs Tsfinuj, then ijsked tho Admiral's acceptance of a handsome piu piu, or Maori robe, with which she proceeded to iuvest him. To fasten it phe hgd perforce to put her arms around tho visi- ■' tor's nec.k. Remarking that no woman had evor put her arms around his neck without him kissing her, the Admiral, to the intense delight of the assembled Maoris and pakehas, and even a chusklo from ' tho Chief, proceeded to saluto the donor f in the timo-honoured manner. Ho then briefly returnod thanks for the gift, and for tho wonderful reception given them. On leaving for Lyttelton the party were sent oif with the Maori chant of farewell. LOCAL MATCH CANCELLED. ; 1 As most of the riflemen who aro ] visiting New Zealand with the Ame- j rieari Fleet aro with the sections i which are at Wellington and Auck- j land, no teaul is availabfo at Lyttelton, and consequently tho proposed i match between fleet representatives . and the Canterbury Riflo Association i has been cancelled. . i > i t AT THE SAVAGE CLUB. j On Saturday evening a number of ] officers of tho American Fleet were « entertained by members of tho Christ- * church Savage Club at the Masonio Lodge. A varied and amusing pro- c eramme was given by members of the < Savage Club, and a most enjoyable even- , ing was spent.

. "YOUNG HOUGHS.* . INSULTS TO AMERICANS. POLICE OFFICIALS* VIEW. Attributing the hostility of a section j of our youths to the American sailors to the insularity of .New Zealand, a police official in Christchureh referral on Saturday to the spectacle of a couple of hoodlum?, one only 22 years of ago nnd the other 24, charged hi Court with insulting tho Americans in J tho public street on Friday night. Tho absurdity of these young roughs ' taking it upon themselves to an nor tho visitors was apparent, he said, when it l was realised that tho eldest was only , seventeen years of ago and tho youngest fifteen, when tho Great War ended. Larrikins of this type, said tho official, brought disgrace on tho City and caused the visitors to gain an unfavourable impression of the Dominion. "It is painful to reflect." he continued, "that on account of tho insularity of New Zealand our youths are growing up with an ovcrbc'anng con- • ceit of themselves. They seem to consider that because they are New Zoolanders they must bo superior to all strangers. To a lesser extent there is a lack of cordialitv on the part of those who have never been out of New Zealand towards our own kith aud kin from the Old Country. "I am quito satisfied that the returned soldiers in our midst are adopting nn entirely friendly attitude towards tho Americans because they can--1 not forgot tho help America gare when it was most needed, in tho war, and tho lavish hospitality showered ou New Ze&landers who returned via America and tho Panama Canal." Hooliganism Deprecated. "If another war hroko out, tho hsoligans who ore insulting our American visitors would take tho urst opportunity of making tracks for the bush. It is not tho returned soldiers who are doing it, and asking who won tho war," declared Mr \V. L. I.eadlev, secretary of the Christchureh U.S.A. on Saturday, when asked for an opinion regarding tho hostility of a section of hoodlums to tho n>cn of tho American Fleet. Mr Leadley added that allegations hnd been made to tho effect thaU returned soldiers wero implicated in the disturbance in Victoria square ou Thursday night. Ho wished to give this an emphatic denial and continued that, generally speaking, the returned men wero very indignant at tho treatment moted out to the visitors. Kindness Remembered. "They can hover forget," he continued* "tho great hospitality shown, to them by tho Americans while goinjj to and from the war, and they aro doing all in their power to reciprocate that nosgjtr clitv. Wo are hoping very much Uuk the Admiral will "sco his way to lift the restrictions on general leave as soon as possible." A large number of sailors, said Mr Leadkry, had already taken advantage of tho hospitality of the Returned Soldiers' Club, and it vaa hoped that still moro would visit the dub, where arrangements were made for their reception and entertainment each evening. "Wo find that the American saitafa aro very quick at learning oar gainee gf billiards and 6nooker," Mr Leadley added. On Thursday evening tho Returned Soldiers' Association will entertain tho American sailors at a smoke concert in tho Caledonian Hall. <r WAKM HOSPITALITY" U.S. CONSUL'S THANKS. The American " Consular Agent in Christchureh, Mr H. P. Bridge, writes 'to the Editor of "The Press":— "I want to acknowledge the veiy kind appeal of his Worship the Major for, a more responsivo feeling to tin men of tho American Fleet, and for the City'* spoken dissociation of some iUbehaviour. - '"The regrettable incidents were >ll winds, fortunately short, and wero apparently tho necessary fan to bieak toe merely smouldering into bright flaiww of fraternal and warm hospitality. "Christchnrth in ifietta is a different thine to tho City awake, and I |aw*r that this awakening will rdondle the fires of friendliness and gratitwge in your guests, and that you aro assured: that it will prove an effective incinerator of the untoward. I thank everyone." ' * YOUNG MEN CONVICTED, Disorderly behaviour in High streak on Friday while they were drunk admitted by Wilfred Jeffries Harrison, 22 years of age, and Jack William Green, both shepherds, of Ls&e Cok>> ridge, to Messrs J. Wallace and C. S. Bingham, J.P.'s, in tho Magistrate**. Court on Saturday. ' These young men," said Police Sqtk* Inspector J. H. Matliew, in ins, "passed insulting remarks to * > sauor. He went on to say that a. j constable who happened to be nearby saw they were drunk and arrested thcAi for disorderly behaviour. * The Bench connrioted and fined eapfe rceusod £2, in default seven days' Imprisonment; PORT THRONGED. 20,000 VISITORS TO SHIES. - f The fine day yesterday attracted almost a record crowd to tho port. Fro® figures supplied by the Railway Departwent, it is estimated that about 20,000 persons travelled to and from Lytteko» by train yesterday. _ From 10 sjn. tkj ordinary train service was suspended and an hourly service was commenced. Tho rush set in early, and by one o'clock there were five or six thousand people in i*»rt. Extra trains were then put on, and tho line was running to capacity all the afternoon. Every train was of nineteen cars, the limit under the regulations, and every car was packed, with hundreds of passengers standing. In spite of the frequent servico, somo hundreds of people were turned away at Christchurch station, tho trains being unable to cope with them. In addition to the visitors by train, hundreds of cars came over the hill from Christchurch, adding at least a thousand to the total of visitors to thft ships of tho Fleet. Most of the people made for the flagship Omaha, ana the mother «liy Altair. The crowd on the Omaha was the irrestest since tho vessel left on its present cruise, and it was impossible to move at times. Thousands who could not admittance to the two larger ships distributed themselves among the fourteen destror* or>, and the smaUer vessels von thronged with fi&taeen. The traffic was handled hr H* nOva* > authorities and th* naval neonfeaEkft -• without a mishap or MfckT:- , A large number of rf r n% Ti'iitfiiiß ; 1 4000 atd 5000, viitttJnSAriEßll Saturday afternoon also, trains were required. Au were open to visitors tra "both j