RECEPTION PLANS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 19, 22 July 1925, Page 5

RECEPTION PLANS

MELBOURNE'S HOSPITALITY

CARING FOR, THE MEN,

(PROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

SYDNEY, 17th July

When the United States fleet arrives afc Melbourne and Sydney next Thursday, "officers and men will find that no trouble has been spared by the Federal and State Ministries and various committees to ensure that they will be provided with ample entertainment and hospitality. Details of the Sydney .programme have already been given, and the Melbourne reception plans are no less comprehensive. When the fleet enters Hobson's Bay, it will be welcomed by members of tho Royal Australian Air Force, who will''give an aerial demonstration: Tlio .Seattle" will berth nt Prince's .Pier, Port Melbourne, and from the. time of the arrival until lhc departure of the licet, there will l)e a continuous round it, oiiijiigoinenta. Mont of (ho first day wil. bo'sjicnt in official calls. After Rear Ad in irii I Coon).* has lauded lit Uio piei aud been, received by n guard pi. hyjiuw

of the Air Force and a salute of seventeen guns by the Australian Field Artillery, he will call on the Governor-Gen-eral (Lord Porster), and later on the Governor (Lord Stradbroko). Lord Forster and Lord Stradbroke will return the calls latex' in the afternoon.. Calls on the Prime Minister (Mr. Bruce), the Premier (Mr. Allan), the Minister of Defence (Sir Neville llowse), and. the Lord Mayor (Councillor Brunton) will be made on the following day.

The streets of the city will be decorated with Venetian masts and bunting, and on the afternoon of 21th July, officers and men will march through the streets. Afterwards they will be entertained. at 1 luncheon. On following days many other functions will be given, including receptions, dinners, luncheons, dances, picnics, and railway and motor excursions to the hilla, beaches, and other places of interest. Racing clubs, which will hold meetings during' the visit, have invited officers and men to bo present, and there will be also gala performances at the theatres.

During each evening 4500 men will be turned loose for a happy time, and steps ars being taken to guard this exuberant crowd of young men from the dangers of a big city. Arrangements have been made with the V.M.C.A. for the entertainment and accommodation of sailors, who, for one reason or another, find thomselves stranded in the oily. The V.M.C.A. created a. special fleet committee, and arrangements were made that the State and Federal Ministries should supply the money and the association the organisation. Preparations are being made for the provision of 1500 beds. A lriosk will be placed outside the Town Hall, and at this the American visitors will be able to obtain information they desire. When the fleet reached Honolulu, 25,000 booklets, sent by the Commonwealth Ministry, were distributed. In this the activities of the V.M.C.A. were set out, so that when the ships tie up in Port Phillip, the men will know exactly what to expect. Their memory will be refreshed by 10,000 additional booklets, which will be distributed on their arrival.