WELCOME AT AUCKLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18694, 28 April 1924, Page 9

WELCOME AT AUCKLAND

DISPLAY BY YACHTSMEN. ORGANISED PROCESSION. HARBOUR BOARD DECISION. An organised procession of yachts and launches to welcome the visiting fleet of warships to Auckland ou May 10 has been decided upon by 'hr Auckland Yacht and Motor-Boat Association at the request of the Auckland Harbour Board. At a special meeting of the association, the chairman, Mr. J. B. Johnston, said that when a. welcome by Auckland's fleet of pleasure craft was first mooted the Harbour Board specially asked the association to discourage- anything in the way of an organised welcome, .is it would make navigation very difficult for the officers of the warships. Since then, the board had revoked the request and now invited owners of pleasure craft to turn out in large numbers aud thus make the function a memorable one. The main reason for the request for an organised display, said Mr. Johnston, was that the Yachts and launches would be better under the control of the board than they otherwise would be. The harbourmaster, Captain H. H. Sergeant, had laid off a course for pleasure boats, which must keep inside the five fathom limit on either side of the harbour. The channel would have to be kept clear for the warships, and the board had power to prosecute owners who failed to comply with the regulations laid down for the day. The association decided to offer the board the use of a number of launches to act. a»s patrol boats.