A DEPARTING VISITOR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 410, 20 January 1909, Page 4

A DEPARTING VISITOR.

yf : ; INTERVIEW .WJTHiXIEUJ. KNOX; ;r g|, HIS: IMPRESMn&OR : NEW^EA| I AND. A/^ ; '.-LieutoH. T. 0: Knox who.Kas L ;;:: :^beea; Zealand and ; ;'-■ variovißiplaoessfor ,the- Nayx_ and; S^.the;'Navy^\Ee;agucr;:.wasv asliedr; :by~ The. : j:f ings in and.impressionsiofiNew'Zealand'since> 'he-: landed .in- the icounti?" on;' November 'I, ,;>'■' 1908. • "I may.,saj; at once',!' statedJLieut. Knox, '■■}■: "that Ifain ■mucHv:indbbtedVtp : ._tho , I)bmmiott : ■;%■■: as, owing to the 'olimatei to/ tho«lan.dness and : ! l "hospitality of .its/sceiiery:; healih;:a'nd : 'vigour have,been re-' ■;i: ■ Btored to.-mo; during the,last I :*V came out from England'solely for the g'ood'of %■■ I > : found;letters;;.and;..telegrams'. from, nearly. .■:.r.'_every-- towiiV.qf-.r importance-- in-the ; .l>pniinion; ;K inviting' me- subje'ot .-;•;;-. the Navy and,the work. of. the.Navj^,League. ,j\; Thiswas.a- , sonrcex)fimucli).grati(iDatibii:to.''.mej; >;;', tavirig' spent 14' yea'rs 'of.' the;work •£{■ of:the. ; Navy-.League.^ ■'/'-. -.'■'■'■''/;■' '•■/.■'■■■:'..■■■■ ■; -.;:. -•' 'VBefpre'l: reached'my- hotel "on 'Nb've'mbgi 1 ; y ;":;4j. ;.ofv the- in'def atigable'liipn.' secretary'' 'te.' the -'league-.in ■.•Wellingtmv :: ('ifr: ik';C.. in-.-thfe Towu , ;<■; Hallivso'me , ;soo- I yp^ /;v.';tisinp|''naiitical;a^d ; i.-ot]»P : :^.S;;reaifin^'.';fqß^ , ffiei: , ;,S; by the Wellingtoffite •■'..;i>tp A'dmiraLSir 3Jiqhard'.],'oore. '■;i:.;3ooo;.pepple.; were /inchidirig.his...E .';■,:'. cellencyi thiiS ; Governor;' Sir > ;Jo'sep.h'"AVard,;;tlie v ,;.;Mayor, of 'Wellington-,,.andjnany. others;:. On ,:,:-Npyember T, .'■r.',aMres'wd.\v , :iairg€-ineetin|'-aV , ;Vf'- : tfe-.Tp'wh;'Hall,-\pVer''.^liicli':')!iis u .Worsh'jp.''th'e. , ,:,^Mtip)i ; ?'presidedr aitdiia\yot6?bf 'thaiiUs 'to' ': : :fi. me; was ..proposed by CaptainiJTyler,: R.Ni, of C;V-BLM^S.;-^'-Encounter; fir--fhbVwarm- • : ..i'Jes.t'terms .aiMie worK ; which:is fieirig-.;carried ; j-jS;League. .:;. Y. ■ ■ ■■' :'•-■:■'■■'■■'.'., A; 6; : ; ./-/ ":■".-■■'.-; : ; : ;V:VVI- left; "Wellington; on, November. 8,, and v,..'proceeded;-to\Napier,, .where; XJieceived 'the ;;.->■ kind::hbspitality of' Mr. ;A. S&M'.'. , Poison; ;of ™: .[.the Napier; High School, .a .most .enthusiastic :::':.. Navy-:.Leaguer.'' : 'On-. : '•■■)-. !6f, tlifelHigluSehooli Mtl-'.wi'ile&''m : -Napi6r-/ad--. !vV'vdresMd.';a':.big./ineetihg.'-m.. ; .the- theatre,. And ~;;.;;; was:'p'reseiit,';hyinvitation.-:qflColonel'-Eettle;-y;;;'at '-"a , '; banc(uet,;"given\""'By-. •"'?■'• the■'." ? Garri-" •.=:■:.'!;son'-v; to-;;-the;'; veterans "of '■.''•'the Maori, ■':;.; and',, other- ;*ars.; At '•; -that.--", bahquet.?* , .-'!; ;.':,';■;-was; ciilled: upon to: maka a. speech, on the, sea ;.'. .yervicei. .'.!*■ .Mr" R. , D..'McLeany'presidents of ,■:'■•.; the .Napier -branch of-'. the,i Navy. ■ League, : 7- r kindly 7 took' me:, ove'e ■ hia run-, and;a_lso or.abled; :■;-;.; freezing-'works.'-■:J,)!.'^mmyJ^ji^cr-^.didf^ k i; ; ; ,viarTaiipo - | and'was enabled, spend 1 some Zil in tie interestin&WairakeiiYalley;-arid; 'r ■:, alsb : te seoi.th'o Aratiatiai rapids,;' whichv rc- ;■ v : ; ininded;- me , .more; ; than- anything ielsa-.of tbe ; ;.-y.rapids'ofi';ltnatra, ip. Finland,";some .twerityr-. '-\\: four hours from St; .Petersburg..'-.E was -iixj; r;^muoli^impress^;'^ti;;tlib.'geyserf-at'- ! Whal>a-i. K;; rewarewa; :and: inadetairipst interesting-..;-Tound Tarawerai. aiid.-vltofcon:Bhaiiai yjsitiiig ;,:,...thci ;: site.' of VW»imanguv.Gey3er,.-iwhere 'Ivre-'. ■''=. : ceived inuch' in|ormatibn, r frpm.'.the "guide,;. Mr..; : Ji"-:lngliß;'..'v,-V'-."r' v j--". : .-.'.' : •''■■•■' '"';/ ;I S' . \.-' '''.'■■'". '.-- ■:':;:,,:; " next, visit, was: to .where I S; v'arrivecl on;the : evening; ;of^ : November : 17, arid" .K..uwMVenabled..'..toV \y.:\ political:enthusiasmi-in :New-Zealhnd; at the X '.^declarationVof;';th<s;'polls'; 'V, TJnfortiirately, jo'Hbe. fact that .politics, held the field, ':;:-";..'■ I was unabfe'to secure- a 'public' meeting in, ;"■•■' energy-of-Mr.' ; Y^. Tibbs,.; headmaster.'of'."the.. Grammar: School,; if'and ;Miss""'Whitelaw, [principal' of; the ; Girls' vr. Grammar;' School, I was enabled to- lectur_e[;td'< .:,; the boys:arid girls of these schools; From Au'ck'4 : ::-;;land; Ifteok train to Taumaranui,, and steain,er.; %:;■ from;there.down tho'riy-ec to "Wangahui, anil ;,";: although;.'v.l ■>ihav.e..ii- :; yisited,'-;- eyei-y -.-. VicoimV V,V.;.try .ij'.'r Europi'Jiescept '..,Greece,:;-.and have'i ;; /seen sbmething of- almpst-.every;part; of.;.the ;.\P; : :world/except; South ;America;-1 Iftave never V:,.,travelled:.aown. ; a -more..beautifur piece,, pf, :<■', ;'-.water*-sjhan'stl»at'^^we&:iau^_airo^ui ; 'iand 'A ;;>; Pipiriki,; nofedb^lr suppose I• shall e'ye'r do;-so.:5 : ;;.;: : '. '■•;"■■A■f.. : is:[Mr.;:{Walter'Eoipson;'I:\lectured' to; the'boysi 3 ;of all?! of,>thjeiri :■'? keefi ,, .Nav 'g -(^['Leaguers,'and;"at;;the,;speciar. request of'the , ..-.; headma«t-er;. 1 had-.the., privilege■',of again, ad- ■ f>[pressing:them':the': nextVmprriiiigo;; li ; then ■;;; ;-t6''Palmerston North, [where I -"ad-; .-;.- ■;;^^dresse'd; i^a r-largely :;..attended. rmeeting.'iiiUn- ';•:'• Jne : i.:C[hairmaiis.hip[[£ :--.'.the-, result>of '■-'[ which;-> was;that : a.-ne'w [;;;;i;brancli; -;of;;;the,;^league[ -[[was-r.fonne'd• 'in feiKat important centre' under:the- presidency ;;;[fof Captai)i':Hewitt/;8,.N., After, that: I,re- :■;',. turned , to 1 -; and .carriodaout« en- ;';:-;"' gageinents .which;: Mr? PilmerihadlJcindly' -[ymade -for nie 'in , ;my abse spealtihg on .v:;vNovember : : 27vto the boys of -JvelUngton Col.■■:,lege,. all- -also. ; ; November 5 • ■.i--^^i.'^t^ /■*■'• iornied.,'The;.,same evening I-'•fe'bTj-'sleamer :' ■ for Lyttelton; and arrived at'Christehurch on the - morning 29S' , y ■;:'; ;thore; : I ■;. addressed "y'fi public ■'■;. ;,\nieeting,-----and---also-%poke~td~ ;; th3~' i; 'bo'J , S" ;o;bf Christ's College :and.:thoso/of?tho'Highv • : ".; Waitaki High School. w!i6s9;headraaster, Mr. i;;. Milueri anj all hjs'[,fcoya; [;aro:;:: enthujusiistic. ,;'.;,: supportera of.thei-N'ayy;League.i.On''tho fol-: •;; lowing : ;day;l- , paid-':a ; ' ; \'isit \to;'. ! -Str.<BPi<}; of , ' i ; v:.EWerslio; v who; ia' the ■■■ father[ of; [the , ; league : -. Jn.NoW;Zealand, and"who'has always given it- ;;.;, his: most ; ;warm-hearted[ support. "-Oil'!the ;; v[afternoon.of [that; day I:,reached-Dunedin, •■ :: :\;.yhere.rwas-welc»m^it..tjiq',etoti|ojv : .'•;;■ bersoC thoi ; committeo : of ithe'-Otago..brahcKi •(■;;;:I addressed,an gathering on Dcb- :;;;;; ember {I in [the;;Garri3on;mii; fully :: 200 a -:;;■. people (being- present, and -several', hundreds' ;'... -.' .turned,'3way, from ,tho doors unable te obtain r;[,;admission,';Mr. Jamc»-Allen, M.P,; presiding. [y;.Sho';f6U6win£'daj'Lleft 1 oi'si'wnikihg tour vo-[trom lVAhau : tp MilfordSbiiiid aridbacki and X; .Jvhave'no'ihesitatioff'iii' saying: it'is tho'-most- ■' > syer mafib;* on- r foot. • ;:-.:From Milford■.Sotind ■■■^:]-.'.town,,-.-;aiid^"from- : :.-'th'ere':-.V ; to.:>.-Iriveroargill.''' ; : :;::On December;[22, I . addressedia -meetiiig" y: : hi lnverciirgili; /under-[the '- pf -'[the ,;f Southland;.branch of ;tho lea'gu^;-'. ; Th'6 :-fol[;'v.- ■ lowing ;eyenino; £.• sjjofovat ■ C(ore,Vv'a ■; sub-■,,;.branch;tp-Invercargrll,-and here,'let'nie say, t v:r:that;from': Auckland to the Bluff ■ l> have'inj;,:. yanably. found the[-grcatest r for'" '; x.the- Aavy and-, the. work of- the Nnvy League. [j[[j!roni :; Goro[ I 'returned; to. Christchurch.to :.;. spend 'tho .Christmas: vacation with some ;[, friends in that ;place, and. oiv,D?cember 29 [.■;::•; y left: by rail-for' Broken;'Uiver;proceeding'" ■[ ;:through tho magnificent QtiraGovgo te.Gray-. •:-.:■:. glad.][fcp 'have .seen this road ; ; tunnel -.--.is-*-pierced f ' /.I.: •Mα' '" o *^ some : . ibUU,UUO.,,Tlussoemsito mb to be a'splendid [;[;;J n «? r which is.ti}l ; ;-; -. tains-less than■α^fiiillidji-pcpnle','"' : Trpih , 'Grey-' ; ■'-;■ '■•■ :[ .;, :Buller; Gorge, up which.l,returned the; fol-- : • lowing-day; to. Murchison .and Kohatu; This ; "road is certainly,one of.the'.'lihest over.which' ;[; ; I .'.with';, the;-: . one' ' of V r New [. [ Zealand's greatest beautiesT'iiamery,*th'e'rataj ; in bloom, overhead,-..could, not. fpijl; to. impress -[..'■an enthusiastic /'lover :of:rcsquisito.;'s6ehory. •.;;.";I.■ arxiyetl,,a.t; N.elson[bn : .Januiry ,-;2,-.leaving , -.-;-' ■[again':ou[ January,/4-.;for Pictonj' via; thei ;. : ,.French ;Pass,-_the [narrowness, jjn- :;,-. pressed -me;- m'uoh, and ■on leaving [ which I , ' [;;[was.privileged:to see foi the fust time whit [; ~[l [regard; as [not only ono of New Zealand's ■:■[ [greatest marvels, but one'of : tha :! 'wbjide ; rs'o'f the world—your friend, Pclorus Uack. 'At '} Pieton;;. I' tddressed an enthusiastic goth- [ ; erin<i "oye'r..' which Mr J, Dnncon,,-M P., [for Wairau! presided, and at which Mr Gor- ' don j Maitlahdj Mayor, was present, while ;; . Dr. Rediaan'kindlv mtnipulated the lantern ; for irie. , 'Afterwards I returned bycoafch via "•[,[ -theilaiValliy, te Nelson, and on the pvenmg . of.January.. B..'lectured in" that town. Mr. [H.[li;[ Duncan, the hoi. secretary of tho branch, [haying organised a meeting, ovei which-:Mr.VC;. Y. Fell, president of the •; branch, -presided. On January 11 I returned [:[to-. 'Wellirigton..again -via the Flench Pass, .and for .the second tinio was privileged to . sbo Pelorus Jsck. lam still pu/zlmg as to ■ how to. make my friends m the Old Country v;believe ; that;; 1 Jio exists, and, fUrthor, that [ he is protected 67 Act of Parliament.

■■•' "Fr<>r.*-horet'l'-am-:-pTcceediiig to New Ply'mouth,. Wanganui, and Masterton, to address me ctings, and' form new branches of the Na'V;r. League. I hope to return to .-Wellington shortly, .and on I January 26 I ■ a'hji';tp;-"ad (Iress. aUjriar [mooting in tho Town Hall.ovor ivhich tii§.;Escellonf:y tho Governor . has kindly ; : consented to preside. With much ;ffegr6[fc v l'sri!all" leave tho Do/minion for Eng"land'in*the on January 28. ['.-. "As rega.tds the beauties, of Now Zealand, although I .djo-not pretend 5n the short time 'atimay disposal to hayo s*eii anything like: 'all= of- them,, I have travolkd enough in the lUominion tof,.realise...that,,' in proportion to 'its; size, it cp.Ttiiiu;lv,'ppss.ojises v scenery •iripre ■ beautihil and far more varied than any country, of a. similar size with whioh I am -acquainted. .The' advantages of its climato 'I' have already referred to, and J havo .b.can told b?<,, kjnrt, friends that .for tKeraJL;ans"h : ,/'watli?ng\ad7/ortisom'ent. ; ["Wfth regand to thework. of the Navy ,Leagu.e,.,Jin. i t}iec'Domini(sn I luive, as I have the greatest enthusiasm aili er the pquirtiry.' I have re-[aeived-everjv- possible assistance in my self-, appointed mission, frcmi nu'.mbcrs of the' 'throughput the whole 'oonriry^from ■ thl'.v Baihvay Department, and frp.m - the-_TJ;£}.B. Co., but valuable a? the ihelpyfrom'-dUJ'thesp has, b,ean/to mo, without I i.the.i'.drivingvpp.TCC.supplied] by. Mr. C. W. Talriier,'! [aift .Infold h,ave accomplished .butiUttle. it> is,, I, hope, that much-new suppcftVhks'beli|i v gaiued- far that organisation which,;.iiu.{|he /opinioni'of. a-Britishjes-fCabiriet of' England's' gjreat■.est.assets. . ThaV,sei;a \ij>ifl;be. plenty of.work ■mf-tho--futiire i :ftr, ; ;all- branches of the 'jSTayy 'lieagu(s"-flirotigh6iHj":.thti" Empire may hieath"e>ei3 .&idmi,th> : :fae.fc.!tliat frhe- British House ofi'Gbmmons-.'eonfeiin's/a' considerable, mumber oS-members;whoi;ar|EF: : cletepmined 'if ■•possible to; vsTeajf eni-AHe/ fleefeßg'still further' inducing ■ Tihis"will, o/f course, , be.; resisted; strenmifusly.byj all patrifftio Bri- ■ tons,,. and,, from,. ['fihat E baye : . j<) en, and , % Bone. 00*9, so than : byf T-'-attach -the; greatest' Navy Laiguemap ;in; all; andijfr-possible, m all important aad.vTwo.iild- strongly recommondi -.tit your reade'cs.to; possess themselves "of!* I 'copy'of t-'Ths, Biddle: of t|a Sands,' by -Erskine-, Childors,. aiid-to. study eamijlly the' ■contents; of that; bpolk"' '•'-■■. ~;■ ■