ADMIRAL FAWKES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13490, 11 January 1908, Page 3

ADMIRAL FAWKES.

VISIT TO TI MARL'. \Vii-:n it bccain*.-' knou 11 that Jii.s Excellency Admiral .Sir Wilniot Fawkes. commanding the Ausl raliu n Squadron, was passing through Timatu 011 his way to Mount Cook. and would have- a lew h»ui°s to slav in TSmarit, Mr Craigie. in his double oifhes as Mayor and chairman <>f the Harbour Hoard deemed it Ins duly to show sonif hospitality to .so distinguished a visitor, and lie made arrangements accordingly. Code flags u-nding ■'Welcome" wen- 11111 up at the Harbour Office, and the harbour master's flagstaff and ill-: divdu<"< "--it gaily decked with hunting. Mr Craigie and others met the Admiral itnd L-'idy Eawkes at f.he railway station, ami after a quiet lunch at the 'tiosvenor Hotel (Archdeacon Harper being one of the party) the visitors were taken out for a car drive round the count-TV behind Timaru. Messrs J. Jackson and R. H. Rhodes kindly lending their cars for the purpose. On returning to town the Admiial was driven to the Borough Council Chambers, where Mr Craigie had ordered refreshments to be provided, and a company of representative townsmen were assembled. Botwoen forty and fifty persons -were present at k, little gathering in the Council Chamb is. table-- being vtry liiivelv laid out* and liberally furnished by Mr O Met'glian. The Mayor presided with TTis Excellency on his right and Captain J>entinck of H.M.S. Prometheus on his left, iviid Ldeuienant. Hay, a member of the Admiral's party, also on the right. There weiv present a number of councillors and ex-M.lvors. the chairman of the Education aiid High School Board and Chamber «f Commerce, members of the Harbour Hoard and Mr Evans, -ex-chairman, tlx* Chief iVi,tmastv, tlie Council''., banker and >•: v* ral ot liens.

"The King"* was iliunk villi :ill honours. and "Mv Craicie then proposed the lienltli of His Excellency Admiral Fawkes. He spoke of ilio Admiral s visit a-s <lll honour to Tininni. which with the presence of the Prometheus in port made that a red letter day. He apologised for having kept the company waiting, but His Kxi_-el!rncy and Lady "Fawke* enjoyed the drive in the country so much that he did not like t« cut it* short. And now the time at their disposal was short. as His Excellency wished to have a look round j 1 harbnur b.'for-: lie left for Fairlie. Mr Oaigic then assured the Admiral of the patriotism of New Zealanders; spoke with satisfaction of the intended increase of the subsidy to the navy, and of the way tho young men of the country iveie taking advantage of opportunities to join the Davy, to help Great Britain to retain that predominance at sea which she had so long enjoyed. In conclusion he bade His Excellency and Lady Fawkes welcomo to Timaru, and hoped they would have fine weather so as to be able to enjov their visit t-o Blount Cook- The toast -was duly honoured.His Excellency thanked tlie Mayor and companv for the heartiness of their welcome, and lie felt some pleasure in being tilt- tirot Admiral to have his Hag flying in the inner harbour of fTimaru. It was

not niiuiv vears since they had no harbour at all. therefore not many admirals had had the same chance. He complimented the people of the district on the work they had done in making such a harbour in the faco of the contending forces of nature; and remarked that he had often been struck by the good work done by the great democratic corporations of the Dominion. As the Mayor had said, there were some vx.ravagant. things talked of in the name of democracy, but the commoneerec of the Anglo-Saxon race would keep them from tioing much mischief. He then *poke, of tli .' n-.-ct: :iity for keeping trail:? rotiU-s free, a necessity that would not be met by provision for defence of the (shores of the Old Land and her distant territories. The ><■;:« did not divide, but united the several portions of the llritish Empire, and their highways on the seas, their paths in great waters, must bs kept safe for all. Land defence and coast defence were good things, and ought to be provided as each country could afford them ; and yet the need for*a strong navy would remain. He did not like the term " (subsidy "; it- recalled the days of the Stuart*: New Zealand gives a five grant bv ' a freely elected Parliament. It was qiiite right that they should give in that way whilst, with their smaller population they could not .spare many men, as England could easily do, out of her large population. They had, however, a number of New Zealand;;rs on the Challenger and thi» Pioneer; the Pioneer win; more than half filled with New Zealanders and they

were doing exceedingly well. He hoped this would be kept up, and by eveiy part of the Empire, so that the Navy would be truly an Empire navy. Timaru be was pleased to remember, had helped the navy by providing a splendid prize for gunnery and a bell for tho battleship named "after New Zealand. And he hop-,-t] Timaru would always continue helping tliem in the way they" were now doing—bv good wishes—for which he thankedthem very heartily; and Lady Fawkes and himself would not soon forget tlie kindness shown them at Timaru. His Excellency mentioned that lie had been recalled Home €0 take some other post, before his term on the Australian station had expired, and he concluded by proposing the health of the Mayor. His Excellency was then taken down tn the harbour," and given a run round in the motor launch : after which he. with I.a.dy Fawkes and party left for Fairlie by "the 4.15 p.lll. train.