HARBOUR EXCURSION

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 50, 27 August 1925, Page 6

HARBOUR EXCURSION

PRAISE BY LORD BTJRNHAM

Tim main item in tlie programme of entertainment of the Empire Press delegates tliis morning was the excursion on the s.s. JWiiritiii, arranged, by the Wellington Harbour Board. As delegates were very busy this morning catching up with their 'arrears of correspondence,

and as the weather, moreover, was threatening at the time, there was not a large muster of delegates aboard. Lord and Lady Burnham, however, were among those present with the members of the .Wellington Harbour Board, including the chairman, Mr. M. Cohen, and the chief officials. Mr. Elsdon Best, who has written the story of the harbour from the earliest times, and Mr. A. H. Messenger, of the' Publicity Department, were among the guests, which included many ladies.

Though the city was overcast with a black cloud and rain threatened, the Muritai pursued a course which kept he! out of the squall and practically no rain was felt aboard. The whole trip was most enjoyable, and gave a view of the city which revealed its attractions Jar more clearly than is possible from ashore. The Muritai steamed along the now seawall across the Thorndon bight, turned and entered Evans Bay, skirting .the Miramar Wharf and the foundation piles of the new Burnham Wharf alongside, and then made for home via the waters of Oriental Bay and the inner harbour. Thus the visitors were able to get a very comprehensive view of the wharves and works the board has carried out in the past and is now engaged in extending. The various points of interest were explained to Lord and Lady Burnham, and Mr. Elsdon Best told them something about the harbour in pre-colonial days. Speeches followed light refreshments.

On behalf of the Harbour Board, t'.ie* chairman (Mr. M. Cohen) expressed a cordial welcome to the distinguished visitors. No tour of observation, he said, could be complete without a visit to Wellington Harboiu, which represented in its developments the process of colonisation in the Dominion. The credit wns due to the splendid pioneers who irtati laid the foundations so well and truly, and the present board looked to follow in their footsteps. He hoped the visitors would take away with them happy memories of their visit and a conviction ol the unswerving loyalty of the New Zealand, people to the British Crown. (Applause.) In conclusion, Mr. .Cohen referred to the happy coincidence by whicll iprd Burnham had witnessed the beginnings of the wharf which bore his name. (Applause.) MOST HOMELIKE WELCOME In reply, Lord Burnham, who was received with applause, thanked them for the cordial '.welcome given to the delegates, apologising for the absence of many . through pressure of business, j They had experienced .the most homelike welcome that it had been their fortune to receive in any of the oversea Dominions. No words could do it adequate justice. It would have lJeen a great regret to him if he had missed this opportunity of seeing the magnificent harbour of Wellington, which he could well believe would accommodate twice the number of ships :md displacement of the whole American fleet and still leave amplp,fairway for the usual number of mercljant craft visiting the > port. (Applause.) Wellington was destined inevitably to become one of the greatest and most essential ports of the British Empire, and he would convey this conviction of his Jto his'colleagues who were absent on this occasion. It was not the things that were written immediately that were of the most benefit, but rather the happy understandings of one another that had been reached, DELEGATES NOT ON A JOY RIDE Lord Burnham urged the advantages of more publicity, as people at Home were apt to confuse New Zealand with Australia in the general term Australasia, though there were great differences between the sister Dominions. He referred to the romantic history, t.f early -New Zealand and the struggle with the gallant and virile Native race, now amongst the firmest friends end allies of the British Commonwealth. (Applause.) It was not a. joy-ride they were on, but a mission for the promotion of sympathy and understanding between the different parts of the Empire. Lord Buruhanv spoke also of the urgent necessity of advancing the work of afforestation on the hills and waste lands and of the utility of secondary industries rising out of the primary industries of the country and tha> future before-abundant hydro-electric power. They would think not only of the "past but of the future of New Zealand also. They were sincerely grateful for the privilege of the trip and offered their heartiest congratulations to the Harbour Board on the splendid work it was doing. ,