TRAINING INFANT PATRIOTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 772, 22 March 1910, Page 3

TRAINING INFANT PATRIOTS.

VISIT TO THE POWERFUL.

It seemed as though all the children' in Wellington were gathered on the wharf yesterday afternoon, all in a wildly excited stato' of anticipation at the thought of tho trip across to H.M.S. Powerful. Eveii the outlook, grey and depressing,- could not quench their cheerfulness. Squad after squad from, tho different schools marched up, till ono doubted if it were possible to get them all on board. It would have meant several trips across for the boats, and, as a matter of fact, . many ot the children had to go away home again in- bitter disappointment over their ' unhappy lot. Fully eleven hundred children liad come expecting to bo taken on board, and ot these nine hundred sailed away in great glee, regarded with bitterly envious eyes and hearts by those left behind on the whTftpAs each boat-load of shouting, exerted, wriggling children left the landing-place, one wondered with what feelings their advent was regarded by -those on the Powerful—that "personification of order and immaculatcness. Surely some apprehension—possibly dismay. However, if the visit were to eiicourago an interest or thirst for life m the Navy, it would be endured in a good cause, and no doubt that point of vieiv supported those on board. At any rate they did their best to answer tho numberless questions with which they, were besieged, and allowed the children to: explore all kinds of weird and fascinating places. . It was not long before the ship seemed to bo entirely in possession of the'in-. 1 vading host. From tho topmost decks to the deepest depths they made their way, and hung entranced over tho mechanism of the great guns, or crept inside tho erections from which tho long, grey muzzles of the cannon pro-, trude, aiid watehed the nien cleaning and oiling their different parts. The boys, of course, were the ones' most keenly interested in theso things, and one .could not help wondering how many future sailors there might. be among them, so intent were they in examining everything.- Enthusiasms, . however, - have a very great waj of dying out, or of being replaced by somo other one when the years "aro Voung, and New Zealanders, particularly, arc very versatile in their tastes. The strict discipline of man-o'-war life, too, seems rather to appal them. , - Large numbers of the children scrambled about in the men's quarters, rejoicing in being swung in tho hammocks, diving into all sorts of nooks and crannies, and being shown all kinds of mysteries. One of the things that impressed them immensely was tho fact of' the men doing their own mending and washing. Some of the girls wero inclined to bo very sceptical of their accomplishments in the way of : sewing, but were finally .convinced, when they at once yielded an ungrudging admiration. Even the refrigerating chamber, the storeroom, with its'hufp quantities of provisiens and necessaries, and the kitchens (the officers beim; cooked for in a separate one) were explored. When one realises that .there are eight hundred \ people .to be cooked pnd provided for, one can understand that tho provisioning has to be on a rather largo scale. .

just before the children started for the shore again, the men brought forward a piano and , began dancing among themselves,. to the great interest , of their .'audience. One littlo girl, strange to say, either -becoming bored with everything or. else filled with a desperate desire to excel in her lessons, was to be secii intent upon' her primer, utterly oblivious to everything around her, lost in tho battle ■ with her spelling. Ono remembered the ■ struggles of one's youth, but thpy were never undertaken : in such circumstances." It was with great reluctance that tho children tore themselves .away from tho fascinations of the mati-o'-war, somo even wanting to, return again in the boat that brought them ashore. . . .

Owing' to the enrolment, at tho last moment, of- a large number of 'school members of-thc.Nayj''League, a number c,i cliildren were unable to visit the Powerful yesterday-afternoon. " Arrangements had. been made to convey at least nine hundred-children there, but quite eleven-hundred arrived on the scene. As Mr. Palmer had not baen told about.the now members, the.means of transport' provided was naturally insufficient.. ■■' ' ■'