CHILDREN'S DELIGHTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21702, 18 January 1934, Page 10

CHILDREN'S DELIGHTS

THOUSAND AT NAVAL PARTY

INGENIOUS ENTERTAINMENTS

FESTIVITIES AT DEVONPORT

A thousand young Aucklanders were given a memorable afternoon yesterday when officers and men of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy held a children's party at the Devonport naval base. Shortly before two o clock a ferry boat discharged an eager crowd of children at the jetty where H.M.S. Philomel is berthed, and from then until five o'clock the fun waxed fast and furious.

Most of the young guests were specially invited by ratings from tho two cruisers, and some through the Devonport branch of the Navy League. Before the special ferry boat left Auckland, the band of. H.M.S. Diomede, mostly in fancy dress and accompanied by some magnificent clowns, arrived by launch as an escort for the children. They caused a considerable stir at the foot of Queen Street as they marched, playing lustily, to the ferry boat. Once at the naval base, the children had a full afternoon ahead of them. To begin' with, they were able to look down into the dock and inspect the entire hull of H.M.S. Dunedin, with parties of men working on her giant propellers. However, the edge of a dry deck is not the safest plaoie in the world for normally inquisitive children, and they were hurried along to the ground where all the fun of the fair was waiting. Sailor as Target

The ingenuity of the British tar is proverbial, and it seemed to have been fully exercised yesterday. There was everything possible for the delight and entertainment of children. The youngsters were invited to throw tennis balls at the head of an able seaman clown in an endeavour to remove his hat. Further on the same youngsters were handed bricks which they were permitted to hurl at shelves of crockery. Perhaps it was thought that this might reduce breakages at tea time.

There were hoop-las and skittle alleys and a miniature rifle range for older boys. The majority of children found it quite easy to win the prizes that were offered. But the two great attractions were the model aeroplane, appropriately styled the Southern Cross, which, suspended on a wire hawser, took innumerable crews of children for aerial rides from the bridge of H.M.S. Diomede to the jetty, and the merry-go-round, mounted on the capstan on the cruiser's quarterdeck. The aeroplane was a wonderfully contrived affair, with a propeller which swung round magnificently and a steering wheel which one child on every trip was able to manipulate, even though it made no deviation in the machine's predestined course. The merry-go-round was described by one of the Diomede's officers as "possibly the most lethal of the amusement devices," but its.speed was carefully controlled. and there was always a queue of children waiting for trips. Model of H.M.S. Nelson The division's donkey, which occasionally provides the motive power for the lawnmower on the recreation grounds, was also pressed into service and donkey rides were a popular feature. Then, too, the cruisers themselves provided a considerable centre of interest, while a large model of H.M.S. Nelson and display of diving apparatus had their attendant crowds. Hares were run at frequent intervals and prizes were awarded, and the climax arrived when, in two sittings, the children were given tea in the Harbour Board shed, specially decorated for the occasion. Ice cream was provided and finally, as the juvenile guests boarded the ferry after three crowded hours, each was handed a bag of sweets to bring a great day to a fitting conclusion.