UNITED STATES FLEET.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 161, 1 April 1908, Page 7

UNITED STATES FLEET.

THE'VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND. ; .(BTr. TELEGRAPH—FpE6S( ASSOCIATION, j ; ' , Auckland, March 31. : i> ~'A: good r deal ;,ofinterest- is being taken i locally in the projects visit of tho American ! :• fleet to Auckland, 'From inquiries, mad© by : u.-roprosentative of the." Herald," it is quite i apparent .that-a.hearty roception .awaits tho •fleet should the- United- States authorities decide upon it calling hero en route to Australia. The Mayor (Mr. A. M. Myers) is : ■ prepared to •call a. meeting of citizens ; ijirectlyhe'receives intimation -that. the visit is to-bo made. Members of . Parliament m- '• teryiewed expressed,,the opinion that.' tlio. Government would assist in making tlio ception and:- entertainment of the visitors ; worthy .of-tho occasion, and that 1 a Veasonnble; grant for the -purpose would bo supr . ported by both sides of tho House. l . According to tlio Harbourmaster (Captain Duder), there is amplo accommodation in the-har--1 boar for tho American fleet if it visited this port.- He said tho.harbour could'accommo--•date;-'a' i; much' Jarger-'lleet without interfering . with, the local shipping, as between North 1 : Head • and-. Bjrkenhead ' thoro; wero - four nautical miles of space. available, with a ; varying > width of from one-third to one-half ' a nautical. mile.

[BY ■ TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL COKIIESrONDENT.] Auckland, March 31. ' In tho course of a leader, on- tKe coming of ■ the American fleet, tho " Herald " says -. " A- suggestion -has by- tho Wellingfcon N(ivy League .that the:' Government should endeivour to induco Admiral Evans ' .to extend- the visit of ; 'tho.fleet : to' 'felling-• ; : . ton.. If tlin United States ; Government' can be persuaded; to send tho fleet along our coasts to ovory one ■ of our ports and mari>.imo cities, so much tho better, but tho Governor and| Sir Joseph Ward, if they talco "my .steps in tho .matter, should mako it .clearly understood that what is wanted is: an' ostension .of the .visit, .and hot its divcrsion from' Auckland.'':■ Woi need hardly com- ;• inent ;' further .upon -tho' question; for tlio' ■. Government should - understand without any' .'further'Vremarks .- that, as the "American ...i authorit-ies naturally and. spontaneously ~ selected Auckland as tho New Ska land port' of. call, - as is-reported, it would hot only >bo bad ' form, but' ungenerous and unfriendly ' treatment-of- Auckland to; exert' official inlluonco* in ■ the; slightest' degree, against , this , sity."