H.M.S. "NEW ZEALAND."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 16, 19 June 1913, Page 4

H.M.S. "NEW ZEALAND."

To the Editor. Sir,—l think the treatment meted to the people of Taranaki by the authorities on board H.M.S. New Zealand on Tuesday last showed, to put it mildly, a very great want of consideration for the people who had come from a long distance to visit the ship. There was absolutely no reason whatever why many hundreds of people should not have been taken oil' to the ship. The ship came to an anchor at about 10 a.m. instead of 7 a.m. as she ought to have done. Owing to a fresh breeze having come on, tendering steamers were not Allowed alongside the ship, but small motor launches had no difficulty in putting their passengers on board. My point is this: the New Zealand carries one if not two steam boats. She also carries probably six to eight large boats, each capable of holding one hundred people comfortably. Why were these boats not put into the water and towed to and from the ship by the small steam boats? The men on board the New Zealand were in all probability doing little or no work, and I should think would have been pleased to have taken people off to their ship. When the H.M.S. Cambrian was here a few years back, under exactly tho same weather conditions, the captain put out his boats and took visitors to and from his ship without any trouble whatever. The ofl'ieers on board the New Zealand could have done exactly the same, thing. It appears to me that they did not want any visitors on the ship, or they would have afforded the public some assistance to get there.— T am, etc., OBSERVER.