VISIT OF H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14983, 9 August 1919, Page 3

VISIT OF H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND

DISCUSSED BY LOCAL BODY

REPRESENTATIVES

AN INVITATION ISSUED

A meeting of representatives of various local, bodies of -the district was hold this morning at the Borough Council Chambers, at the invitation oi the : Mayor (Mr Ceo. Wildish), to discuss i the question of inviting Adniivu. Jellieoe and the H.M.S. New Zealam, to visit Gisborne. In addition to hi.-. Worship and the Town Cleik, there were present: Crs. H. H. det.'osla, J. Mirfield 1). W. Coleman, H. E. Hill, G. E. Ashtou (Borough).; Crs Chas. Matthews, H. White (Cook County) : Crs. L. B. " Tuliock, C. H. Bridge (Waikohu); .Messrs F. J. Lysnar, J. W. J. Preston (Harbor Board) ; Messn W. J. McCliskie, E. Grundy (Mangapapa Town Board); Mr R. She-rat (Patutahi Town Board) ; Air. G. Stock (Poverty Bay Club); and T. Corson (Chamber of' Commerce). Tho Mayor, m presiding, said he desired to "explain" the attitude ho hm' taken tip respecting the matter. Ik gave way to no man m the matter oi loyalty, but before, he moved he wan tec to know that he had the public bodies of the district behind him — before he asked a man of Admiral Jellieoe 's standing to visit Gisborne. With a man of Admiral Jellicoe's standing what they did should be their very best, because of their great respect for the British navy, and but for which they would probably not have been living m Gisborne to-day. (Applause). He did not think they could do too much for the navy, and if they decide to entertain Admiral Jellieoe and hu men, then they should do it m a manner befitting Gisborne. (Applause). Th< reason for nis delay had been to find out if the local bodies were behind th.' movement, and to make sure that if anything was done it would be done m a spirit that would do credit to Gisborne. The Mayor went on to say that Mr W. G. Sherratt, president oi the Poverty Bay Club, had made a kind offer m connection with the proposed entertainment, and as Air Sherratt was unable to attend he had asked All George Stock to be present. The business before the meeting was the issuing of an invitation to Admira i Jellieoe and for a visit of H.M.S. New j Zealand.

Mr. Matthews said he took it the first business was to decide whether there should be .an invitation issued.

The Mayor: Yes. >Mr Matthews said, on behalf of the Cook County Council, he strongly urged that the opportunity should be seized to secure the visit of the H.M.S. New Zealand. . He pointed out the great educational advantages to the children of the district of the visit ol any warship, but more especially a vessel like . H.M.S. New Zealand, which had been through the fights and bore marks of" the fray. He moved that an invitation be extended to Admirai Jellieoe and H.M.S. New Zealand.

Mr Preston said he considered that the Mayor had taken up the proper attitude. He (the speaker), enquired whether they were inviting Admira. Jellieoe here to entertain him and hi* officers, or whether it was to enable the school children and . townspeople of the district to visit the New Zea land. If it was for the latter purpose he warned them that m view of the river conditions and the hours at which the vessel would be thrown open. the number who, would be able to visit the warship would be very small indeed. He seconded , the motion pro forma.

The Mayor said he had "ascertainc'.! at Wellington that it was estimated tentertain 750 men, and they had collected about £1250. He concluded that, it ould cost them locally about £500 to entertain the Admiral, officers an<» men. He would be sorry to see any thing done by which the men woulti not participate m the entertainment as well as the officers. He invited M Stock to speak. Mr G. Stock said that the prcsiden' of the Poverty Bay Club (Mr Sherratt, was unable to be present through m disposition, but had asked him to convey on behalf of ,the club an offer to entertain Lord Jellieoe and his officer*, at luncheon or dinner according to the length of time available during tht visit. The expense would be home by the club, and would not fall on the local bodies at all. If the local bodie. were prepared to agree to the same tht club was prepared to carry that offei out. , '

Mr F. J. Lysnar said he quite agreoo with an invitation being extended tt Lord Jellieoe, and the sooner that was issued the better. But if Lord ant 1 Lady Jellieoe were being entertained they should be entertained publicly and not privately. He would like to see i gathering of both ladies and gentlemen present.

The Mayor said he desired that tlv offer should be placed before the meeting. Mr Lysnar said be was not object mi: to the Poverty Bay Club entertaining the visitors, but that should be another function altogether. The Mayor said, his idea was' tha '. there should be other functions apart from the club's offer.

Mr Hill suggested that t'he Hon. WD. S. Mac Donald and Sir James Carrol, be telegraphed to on the subject of arranging the visit. The Mayor said they should first decide upon the invitation.

Mr Coleman said he felt that if the entertainment was to cost anything ]ikr J3500 then the Borough Council cotilr not afford it. He gave place to no one m the matter of loyalty, but he' pointer 1 out the great shortage of funds experienced by the Borough Council and hr felt that £500 was an enormous amount to be spent on one day's function, especially when there were such crying needs for public expenditure m the Borough. In. view of Mr Preston's remarks, he felt that they would have to recognise that the conveyance of thousands,,, of children of the district out tc inspect the ship would be out of tinquestion; that they would only see tin vessel 'from the groyne and the beaches So it boiled down to the entertainment of Lord Jellieoe and ' his officers, and he thought they should exercise caution m the matter. If they entertained the officers they should also entertain the men.

Mr Preston said he presumed £500 was only a sporting "shot" and it might be much less.

The Mayor: Yes. Mr DeCosta said he failed to see how the cost of entertainment would amount to £500. Ho thought that the ladies of the district, would rise to the occasion again, as they had done during the peace celebrations, and provide the sailors with a sumptuous repast, thereby saving public expense. "Mr Tullock, on behalf of the Wai kohu County Council, said that with a wealthy district like' this they shonlf' not stick at £500 for the entertainment of the officers and men of H.M.S. New Zealand, seeing that the occasion would probably only occur once m their lifetime.

Messrs ,R. Sherratt and W. J.jMcCliskie, speaking for the Patntnhi Town Board and Maiigapapa Town Board respectively, supported the invitation ;nnd expressed their Boards' readiness to join m the expense. Mr Hill urged that while it was very nice for the Poverty Bay Club to entertain ' Admiral Jellieoe, tho opportunity should be afforded to everyone io meet and shake 1 hands with the distinguished Admiral. He also urg.-d that the expense be borne on a population basis like the hospital administration.

Mr Stock said the first question, to decide was whether they would issue the invitation. As regards the offer of the Poverty Bay Club, the entertainment suggested was, he (took it, only one item of the day's proceedings. The Mayor concurred. Before putting the motion His Worship suggested the expenses should be borne oh a capital value basis. Mr Lysnar contended that that would be most unfair, as the Harbor Board would have to pay the bulk. He contended that tiie cost of entertainment _b_rald be borne by the local bodies m equal tfcares,

<***3_auMAßb£fl||yM^ Thi». motion io issue the invitation was earned, unauLuioi.i.sly. Air Lysnar suggested that they should adopt- :i resolution respecting the eo.<t oi eutei tainim-nt on an equal basis. Mr Bridge pointed out that'll- was unreasonable to expect the small bodies to pay as much as the large bodies. Aii Tullock thought they should adopt the population basis. Tho Mayor said that that would mean the Borough Coum.il would have to pay two-thirds" of tho cost. In the course of further discussion Mr DeCosta urged that they should adopt the basis of the four large bodies —Borough, Harbor Board. Cook and Waikohu — paying equal shares and the other small bodies, such as Pat-utahi, Mangapapa, and Te Karaka Boards making Ul> a . fifth share. This was agreed to unanimously. Air Coleman urged that the public dinner should be put ou at a- figure the public would be able to pay — which they certainly could not at 10s 6d. The Mayor said this and further dotails could be discussed at a later meeting, adding that the Ladies' Club were prepared to entertain Lady Jellieoe. His Worship intimated that as 30011 as he received a reply he would call a further meeting. «•"■■— ■—■■«-«■»_____-__— -