GIFT FOR PRINCE CHARLES

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27206, 25 November 1953, Page 6

GIFT FOR PRINCE CHARLES

Yacht From Auckland Harbour Board

TAURANGA NEARLY COMPLETED (New Zealand Prats Association) AUCKLAND, November 24. Extraordinary care is being lavished on the tiny P class (Tauranga) yacht which the Auckland Harbour Board is having made as a gift for Prince Charles. At Glendowie, on the eastern waterfront, Messrs Dave Marks and John Sharpes will have the 7footer finished in about a fortnight. The hull is taking shape, and will be ready for varnishing a( the end of this week. The spars, rudder- and tiller are completed and most of the hull parts are also complete. This one-man type of yacht 'd mainly by children, is a New Z id design. The original of its type -/as designed by H. A. Highet The Prince’s craft conforms to all specifications of the class. It is 7ft long, has a beam of about 3ft sin. mast 10ft, over-all boom ,7ft 6m and gaff 7ft Sail area is about 50 square feet The hull is of kauri and the deck of kohekohe. Few of New Zealand’s P class boats are professionally built because of the cost. PACIFIC OCEAN FLIGHTS QUEEN TO TRAVEL BY SOLENT Queen Elizabeth will fly from Suva to Tonga in an aircraft she named at Belfast four years ago. The aircraft is the Solent flying-boat, Aotearoa 11, which will take the Queen from Suva to Lautoka, from Lautoka to Suva, and from Suva to Nukualofa. The Aotearoa II will be commanded by the Tasman Empire Airways deputy-operations manager (flying),

Captain T. H. McGrane, who will be assisted by Captain C. Griffiths, the company's flight captain. Both men are “mileage millionaires.” Captain Griffiths, who received, his present appointment in 11147, has flown more than 2,000.000 miles and logged

more than 11,000 flying hours. Captain McGrane was appointed to his present position in 1951. He has flown 1,500,000 miles. Other members of the crew will be Flight Navigator E. M. Haise. Senior Flight Engineer Officer D. Phillips, Senior Flight Radio Officer D. Reid, the deputy-cabin services manager (flying), Mr C. R. Jaggar, Senior Flight Steward E. R. Chidwick, Senior Flight Hostess N. M. Brigham and Flight Clerk K. H. Williams. CELEBRATIONS AT WAITANGI FIVE NAVAL SHIPS TO ANCHOR IN BAY COMMEMORATION OF TREATY SIGNING (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. November 24. Five ships of the Royal New Zealand Navy will ride at anchor in the Bay of Islands in view of the Waitangi Treaty House—as did H.M.S. Herald, on February fl, 1840—when the Queen is welcomed by her Maori subjects at the historic site on. December As on the day the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, Maori leaders, the Navy and the Crown will be the central flgures-in the ceremony. H.ALN.ZS. Black Prince will Are a Royal salute as the Queen, with the Duke of Edinburgh and their entourage, walk out on to the lawn in front of the Treaty House. Briefing and a full-dress rehearsal of the ceremony will take place on the morning of December 28. The Royal Guard will consist of 100 18-year-old territorial trainees, who are now training at H.M.N.Z.S. Tamaki. These ratings will also form the Royal Guard on the central wharf for the Queen’s arrival at Auckland on December 23. and at H.M.N.Z.S. Philomel the next day, when the Queen visits the naval base to present a new Queen’s Colour to the Navy. MR ALGAR WILLIAMS INVITED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, November 24. Mr Algar Williams, of Christchurch, a grandson of Archdeacon Henry Williams, has been invited by the Waitangi Trust Board, at the special request of the Government, to attend celebrations at Waitangi during the visit of the Queen. Mr H. B. Williams, of Gisborne, a grandson of Mr William Williams, has also been invited. Archdeacon Williains arrived at the Bay of Islands in 1823 and his brother William in 1828. It was mainly through the influence of Archdeacon Williams that'the Maori people accepted the Treaty of Waitangi, whereby New Zealand became a member of the British Empire.