Dreadnought Day

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 16, 19 June 1913, Page 5

Dreadnought Day

AMONG THE CROWD. SIDELIGHTS AND INCIDENTS. Tuesday was a clay of many attractions, an opportunity for many and various diversions, an education and an entertainment. Throughout the day, all roads led to Moturoa, and all vehicles were following the same road. One after the other, from the homely and all embracing 'bus, the glorified express waggon and the farmer's spring cart to the übiquitous motor-car, all the wheeled traffic of the town and district rolled off to see the warship. Grandfather brought out the ancient vehicle which had lived a life of glorious inactivity since he and grandmother drove in it to see the cattle show that time; mother administered soap, good advice and new ribbons and collars to the children, and all set sail for Moturoa. What a diversity of human types were to be seen on the beach and breakwater! Here a group of be-ribboned and smiling 1 little girls, each with a clean pockethandkerchief, gravely discussing the advisability of breaking the parental grant of a shilling and investing twopence each in lollies. ''You see," says one small wizard, of finance, "then we'll each have some lollies and each have tenpence left," a clinching and convincing argument indeed. There a knot of small hoys, wearing a look of uncomfortable consciousness of Sunday clothes, and seeing the parental slipper looming for, any small boy who dirties them. "Come and get sortie lollies for nuflin'," says one.. '•I'll show you where,".and they dash off to run such a treasure-trove to earth. Then the couples! What picnic gathering would be complete without numerous i boys and girls in the happy state of ! "gazing into each other's eyes" ? Tread warily, lest you stumble unawares upon a loving swain, holding his Flora's hand and promising to take her to the pictures to-night. Small boys, fiends incarnate, "stalk" these Jacks and Jills, but a journalist, never! Mingle with the crowd, and hear the snatches of conversation. Anxious discussions as to the state of the finances, frenzied alarm at the discovery that "he's gone away with all the bananas." Everyone looks happy. Yet pathos walks hand-in-hand with humor, and domestic unhappiness lies hidden in the jolliest crowd. Here are an ancient couple, for instance, carrying on a fierce argument. "Well, perhaps you know better than I do; anyway, you think so," says he. "George, you always " and they are lost in the crowd wending wharfwards. Still another group surround the loud-voiced vendor of a marvellous contrivance from Yankee land. Shillings fly, as he assures them that they ought to buy his potato-peeler, because "if you eat the skins or pips of potatoes or apples you get appendicitis; that's if you're rich enough. If you're not, it's just the ordinary old stomachache!" Crowds are returning from the trips round the harbor, and we hear that "Em and Arthur were- both sick." This in injured tones, as pointing out the unreasonableness of mere man. "Paddy" and his donkeys are getting a great run, and the beach is thick with youthful Woottons and anxious mothers. Two blushing damsels are the centre of an interested group, watching them pose for a strolling instantaneous photographer, who asures then that "you will be sure to like them, ladies." But here is the most interesting spot of all: a lost children's refuge. Three woe-begone little beings are already installed, and here comes a friendly Territorial, bearing a fourth. The ladies in charge of the "creche" are seen with ready handkerchief and motherly smile. They comfort the distressed infants with cake, catechising them the while as to what their lost mothers are like, and where they lost them. The lost mothers, meantime, are hunting £or their wandering offspring, but they will turn up soon, and meantime the children are safe. This wonderful, ever-changing crowd is as entertaining and instructive in its way as is the warship itself. In town the crowd is almost as thick. Anxious mothers and proud fathers, happy children in Sunday clothes, are busy exploring the mysteries of drapers' shops and buying their regalia for the next holiday. Dreadnought Day has come and passed, but it will be remembered in many a Taranaki homestead, and talked of by many a happy youngster, for months to come. Fortunately the clerk of-the weather was unusually kind, and the Ir.'niches were able to put on board the New Zealand many excited and interested schoolchildren and their parents. AN INTERESTING MEMENTO GIVES' TO CAPTAIN HALSEY. As a small memento of the visit of ■! warship, a framed card referring to the services of the Taranaki Mounted Volunteers, who served during the Maori wars from 18(10 to 18(1(1, was handed to one of the ollicers on landing at the wharf, with a note as follows:—"Presented by the committee of the late Taranaki Mounted Volunteers to Captain Halsev, as a souvenir of the visit of 11.M.5. New Zealand to Taranaki, June 17, ini3." The card is colored with the Waireka colors presented by the ladies of Taranaki after the battle of Waireka, where the bluejackets of H.M.S. Niger captured the pa and saved the militia and volunteers from a dangerous position. Also the New Zealand Cross, won by Captain Mace and Trooper Antonio Roderiquez, the New Zealand Maori War medal, a list of members of the corps, and the names of 22 engagements in which they took part; a list of those killed in action; a brief history of the troop; extracts from several despatches by Colonel Warre, Major Butler, Lieut.-Colonel Moule and Colonel Haultain, in which he stated: "You will at the same time be good enough to assure Captain Mace and the ollicers and men under his command that the Government fully recognise the excellent and meritorious services thev have performed throughout the war, and which are acknowledged to have been .second to none in the colon}'." "'■■>*■■ JOTTINGS. On arrival at the steps on Tuesday, Captain Halsey and staff were accorded a welcome by a Maori troupe under Mr. J. K. Walker. The visitors seemed to he much taken with the haka, which was performed in characteristic Maori fashion. Captain Halsey, on landing, met the Taranaki war veterans, shaking hands with each of them, and expressing |)!Casure at meeting such old and true soldiers. Large numbers of people visited the oil Works on "Tuesday. They appeared to be keenly interested in the refinery works and wells. The extent of the operations going on surprised most of the visitors. It was with difficulty that Captain Halsey was persuaded to come ashore on Tuesday. He mentioned to the Mayor (Mr. Browne) that he considered the weather too doubtful to permit of (be ship's launch being brought into service, and it was only when Mr. Browne brought a private launch alongside and pledged himself to have the same at the wharf at p.m. for the captain's return to the ship that the captain consented. As it was. the captain extended his stay on board by an extra hour, and during (bis tiii'c inspected several scenic places in New Plymouth.

Captain Halsey was taken for a moU)t . '' > ride around town shorty After the arrival of the battleship, accompanied by , the Mayor (Mr. G. W. Browne) and several of the officers of the New Zealand. After lunching at the White Hart Hotel the party proceeded to Pukekura Park, with which Captain Halsey was delighted. remarking that it would compare favorably with any in New Zealand. He much regretted that his time wan limited, thus preventing him from making a thorough inspection of such beautiful gardens. He also expressed great pleasure at seeing the' fine specimens of New Zealand terns, and stated that at present he had on board his ship several specimens of well-known native plants, anion;? which were included some New Zealand ferns, and all of which he was taking to the Home Land. Mrs. Halsey was a great botanist, and he felt sure that nothing would give her greater pleasure than the studying of such fine specimens as he had procured in New Zealand.

The party afterwards proceeded to fit Mary's Church, and the captain took a keen interest in inspecting the hatchments, one, to the memory of the men of 11..M.5. Niger, was pointed out as being; unveiled by the late Captain Scott, the Antarctic hero. Captain Halsey also inspected the memorial to the forces that fell in the Maori wars on Marsland HilJ. Captain Halsey was interested in this fine statue, so much so, indeed, that he carefully recorded every name inscribed on the monument.

New Plymouth fared bolter than Wangnnui in regard to the Dreadnought visit. Only -2! M) got on board the vessel, and: a little over ,3,21)8 got ontsi.do the. bar, which ws blocked for a time by ■the-.-sticking 0 f a vessel. (This little fact has not been telegraphed from .VYanganui!)

_ The railway officials, and particularly Mr. Day, the local statiomnaster, are to be congratulated on the efficient manner in which they handled the extraordinary traffic. Not a hitch occurred, and only one train was delayed—and that not through the fault of the railways, but at the notification of the Under-Secre-tary for Internal Affairs (Mr. Hislop), who got the second to last excursion, tram delayed a few minutes to enable the passengers aboard the Taviuni to. catch it. This they just managed to' do.

After the searchliglit display, the-' Dreadnought did not take long to get away. She seemed to glide into darkness m the course of a few minutes. Numbers of people who came in to see the Dreadnought stayed in New Plymouth over-uight. , All the out-going trains yesterday were crowded. Several hundred remained as late as the " 4 p.m. train. Details of the number of passengera l carried by the various steamers show ' that the Union Company* steamers. iayiu.ni and Haupiri carried approximate y 3000 children and adults, and the, * Northern Company's boats Earawa a»d Kimn took about 210 more. Tutanekii figures would account for a further fer2e number. y The übiquitous "Ben" Tipping had k hi , W; while,aM>t,«ontrollii& . he traffic winch he did in excellent } fash on He collected a golden harvest of as from owners of motors and other*. * licenS "fleeted to take ont *

When Captain Halsey and his officers visited he. Oil Wells on Tuesday 5 Wffned the visitors' book, the 'fonS ahlmg the remark: "I have had the -' greatest pleasure in visiting the work*' »nrf. wing shown every detafl. Tlie visit' •* " has been most instructive. I wish «>ctf l»ck to the undertaking." M T oE ' ■ pressed his pleasure at being ahK ; i welcome Captain Halsey, and said he .oped his next Stake *■"".< aptam Halsey remarked that-the ' Admualty wanted to use oil f ue L £ only obstacle in the way of its general "« >">ng the difficulty of obKE i regular and ample supplies. oDta,nJn ß and* U.in'^f 0 " S f tne'lW-water and Main South roads, at about 2<?o !>•'»• on Tuesday, a ear/an ewe s 3 ' several cyclists were a littl! which'SoToffi. evclsts severe cuts;on the wrist and* c.u \.a> also considerably knocked? about the driver sustaining a few cuts hZ » : splintered wind screen ' *