H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 85, 17 April 1913, Page 5

H.M.S. NEW ZEALAND.

A DAY OUT. [Per Press Association.] 1 Wellington, April 16. About 350 men from H.M.S. Now Zealand and Pyramus had a day out in Wellington to-day. Landing at the ferry wharf they marched to the Town Hall, the route being lined by crowds of people. The procession vas headed by detachments of men wioh field guns and the band of the New Zealand. At the Town Hall the men were entertained at luncheon, speeches of welcome being made by the Mayor (Mr McLaren) and Mr Fetcher (chairman of the Harbour Board).

Captain Blount briefly returned thanks.*iv After the luncheon, the men formed into a procession again and marched to Newtown Park. The streets were thronged with people, and a very large crowd at the Park watched the men going through the sports programme and interesting evolutions with the field guns.

A party of Maoris gave the sailors a warm welcome in native style as they arrived in the Park.

Some comment has been made in Wellington as to the action of his Excellency the Governor in absenting himself from certain civic functions in connection with the entertainment of officers and men of H.M.S. Now Zealand; but (says the Post) his Excellency’s absence appears to bo due to the fact that the date of the arrival of the warship was changed more than once, and that during the interval his Excellency had entered into engagements at Auckland and Rotorua (notably a reception by the Arawa tribe), which had been more than once subject to alteration. In view of the above facts, it appears that his Excellency considered it his duty to keep the engagements he had made, more especially in view of fact that for the present his headquarters are at Auckland, and that anything beyond a- flying visit to Wellington to meet the captain of the warship on his arrival in New Zealand would entail very considerable expense.