ADMIRAL FAWKES ENTERTAINED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13451, 30 May 1907, Page 6

ADMIRAL FAWKES ENTERTAINED.

■I . ■,; • - | . A MAYORAL "AT HOME." j j An "At Home," tendered by the Mayor j (Mr. A. M. Myers) and Mrs. Myers, to His; ! Excellency the Admiral Sir YVilniotj 3t Fawkes and Lady Fawkes, was held at the -(Drill Hall last evening, and proved a splen-j licid success. Some twelve hundred invita-j lions were issued, and most of them were! > accepted, the gathering being composed of] prominent citizens and representative men, ti including members of the Cuy Council.} -i Mayors of suburban boroughs, resident! -.Consuls, ;chairmen of local bodies, chair! rjmen of school committees, members of the' si Headmasters' Association, officers of the j'Auckland Garrison, heads of the various! j ecclesiastical denominations, presidents of bowling clubs, and members of the House! - of Representatives and Legislative Coun-j - cil, besides the officers of the fleet. There! -was also a large attendance of ladies. i - The scene was a brilliant one. Thai ,; Drill Hall had been converted into a huge] , jdrawingroom, and the gunroom into a j supper-room. The drawingroom was ela ' i ! borately and picturesquely designed. j 2! Rich, carpetihgs-wete lai i on. the floor, 3! rows of stately nikau palms ran down the: „ full length of the hall, pots of shrubs and! ferns were arranged in profusion, relieved "with large arum lilies. The walls were 'jcovered with the flags of all nations, with; sjred, white, and blue forming a continuous! > j panel around the building, the same col- I I j ours predominating amongst the bunting. j stretched across the ceiling, and baskets: of ferns were suspended from '.he ceiling: 1 with lycopodinm. Handsome mantel-; J; pieces were placed in the corners of the -jhall, elegantly framed mirrors were ..ar ranged on the walls, and beautiful furni-j ';ture judiciously placed about the hall, with screens to form smaller drawingroom.-. I "His Excellency and Lady Fawkes were ' 1 provided for specially on a iaised dais.l with a handsome suite and elaborate decorations. }j The sitting-out room was abundantly decorated with large palms and ferns neatly; arranged in rows, while the supper-room, j JI large enough to accommodate 250 at one j sitting, was equally elaborate in the design 1 ,'of decoration. A sumptuous repast was. j provided. Burke's orchestra was present I I and played a number of selections during} " the evening. I ' " •■ •. " 1 THE ADMIRAL AT PARNELL. > .■/• .':•'■. - ———-— ■I VISIT TO THE MAORI SCHOOLS. ' : Yesterday morning Vice-Admiral Sir ! Wilmot Fawkes paid a visit ', to the : St. j \ Stephen's Maori Boys' School and the!' \ Queen Victoria Maori Girls', School, at Par-! nell. His Excellency ; was accompanied by ' Lady rawkes, and was escorted by the ; Bishop of Auckland and Mrs. Neligan, and! ( received; by Messrs. J. Batger and A. R. •! 1.; Robert on, representing the general trust; , board of the diocese. A thorough inspec-j ', tion: of the buildings and ■ the work done j . in them was made, and, in conclusion, the; . Admiral addressed a few words to the . children, congratulating them on their opportunities,' and advising them to make! > such use of them that they might grow up j . worthy citizens of the Empire to which i both he and they had the honour to be-1 1 long. ' ' - • • . v j ; : Before 1 leaving, His Excellency requested j - that the remainder of the day might be ob- , served as a holiday, and invited both • schools to visit H.M.s. Powerful in the - afternoon. ■-', The Devonport Ferry Company ; placed the Britannia at the disposal of - the schools, and a very enjoyable' and pros' friable visit .was accordingly 'paid' to the . flagship, tlie party being courteously rei ceived by Lieutenant Danby. ■ 1 When the time came for leaving, three; t hearty cheers were given for the Power- > fill, and these were repeated as the Bri- , tannia left the ship's side, the boys adding • the 'Maori cry of greeting, *' Ka mate, kia orai" Cheers for the Ferry Company and i the Britannia were- also given before land- ' ing at, .Queen-street, ~,„, ~•..<■.., ' *■- INVITATION •TO ELLERSLIE. ' The Commander-in-Chief and the officers ' 0* the squadron have accepted the invita--1 tion of the Auckland Racing Club to be 1 present at the race meeting at Ellerslie on > Saturday next. v - : —_