DOMINION TOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22957, 8 February 1938, Page 10

DOMINION TOUR

ENGLISH SCHOOL BOYS ARRIVAL IN AUCKLAND 'ROUND OF ENTERTAINMENTS WEEK-END YACHT CRUISE Final plans for the visit of the party of 20 English public school boys to Auckland in April, including arrangements for their billeting and entertainment, were made at a meeting of representatives of various interested bodies in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon. The town clerk, Mr. James Melling, presided.

The schoolboys, accompanied by tho director of the tour, Mr. A. E. C. Cornwall, a housemaster at Marlborough, and the assistant director, Mr. A. F. Phillpots, left Southampton on January 10 by the Taiiiui for Now Zealand, and will arrive in Wellington on February 28. They will then spend almost a month in the South Island, visiting tho Southern Alps and other places of interest before arriving at Wanganui on March 25. After a visit to Taranaki, Hawke's Bay and Rotorua the party will arrive in Auckland on Thursday, April 7, and leave for Wellington the following Monday, April 11.

Famous Public Schools The boys, several of whom have relatives in New Zealand, represent many famous English public schools. Thcro are three from Eton, four from Stowo, while others attend Rugby, Winchester, Charterhouse, Radlev, Tonbridge, Blundells, Clifton, and Bryanston. Lord Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton, who arrived in New Zealand on January 5 to make advance arrangements for the tour, attended tho meeting, at which were present representatives of tho Royal Empire Society, tho Victoria League, tho English Public Schools' Old Boys' Club, tho Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and other leading bodies. On their arrival at tho Auckland railway station by the Rotorua express from Hamilton on April 7 the boys will bo met by their hostesses and organising officials. Tho party will then proceed to tho Town Hall, where a mayoral welcome will be held. This will enable tho visitors to become acquainted with their new friends. They will be entertained by their hostesses in the evening.

Drive to Waitakeres Tho boys will be given a free morning on the Friday. A motor drive to the Waitakeres has been tentatively arranged for the afternoon, when the visitors will be given the opportunity of seeing fine specimens of kauri trees and native bush. Should time permit, tho drive will extend to other places of interest. The eveniug will be free. The party will visit the Auckland War Memorial Museum on the Saturday morning and attend the rooms of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron at 12.30 as guests of the club members for lunch. Then will follow what is expected to be the outstanding entertainment of the visit to Auckland. A number of members of tho Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron have offered to take the schoolboys on a week-end cruise, and it is anticipated that phigtically all of them will avail themselves of the opportunity to see the beauties Qf tho Waitemata Harbour and the Hauraki Gulf. The yachts will return to the city late on tho Sunday evening. The cruise will be an entirely novel experience for most of j the visitors. j Coastal Motor Tour

Members of the party who do not take part in the week-end cruise will attend divine service at the Devonf>ort naval base at 9.30 a.m., and then eave for a motor tour, embracing mainly coastal scenery. Opportunity will be given the boys to picnic on tho way and to swim should conditions be favourable. They will return to Auckland in time for dinner. Many prominent Auckland citizens have already offered motor-cars for tho entertainment of the visitors during the weekend.

A visit to Mount Eden will take place..-' prqbablv on the Monday morning, to give the tourists panoramic views of the city and harbour. Facilities for tennis, golf and other recreations have been placed at their disposal by a number of citizens and sports bodies. Delight at the arrangements made was expressed yesterday by Lord Malcolm Douglas-Hamilton, who said the plans for the visit were capital in every detail.