H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8457, 17 June 1913, Page 7

H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND

VISIT TO WANGANUI GREAT INTEREST MANIFESTED. Press Association. WANGANUI, Juno 16. The battle-cruisor New Zealand spent to-day in the roadstead. Great interest was manifested, and the points of ’vantage at Castleclilf were crowded with spectators. An official party boarded the warship on arrival, presenting addresses from both pakohas and Maoris, also gifts of game. The last named included five deer, two swans, thirtytwo brace of pigeon, a hare, and twenty lambs. About three thousand school children came from all parts of the district specially to visit the warship, but though about one thousand were taken off in the Tutanokai, a dumpy sea prevented the children boarding the New Zealand. The public also could not get aboard,, ns the sea increased as the day progressed and caused very many cases of sea sickness. The tenders in use wore of a most buoyant type, being tossed about at the sea’s will, while the spray drenched the passengers. About two thousand of the public circled the New Zealand. At about 3.30, as the sea had much increased, the Dreadnought sailed north, but subsequently returned to within about ten miles of Wanganui and gave a splendid searchlight display. She then sailed for New Plymouth. While the school children were disembarking from the Tutanekai to-day a boy named Rodney Burnett, aged eight years, got his left hand jammed between the vessel and the wharf with \the result that the finger had to bo amputated. Among the favoured ones to board the New Zealand were the Collegiate School boys, and after a short inspection all returned except one lad named Bloomfield, who was carried on to Now Plymouth. -