AMERICA AND NEW ZEALAND.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13557, 30 March 1908, Page 4

AMERICA AND NEW ZEALAND.

It is very gratifying ta learn that the Navy Department at Washington lias ac cepted the- invitation issued- by the premier of New Zealand, and that Admiijal Evans, with his fleet of battleships,•'will put into Auckland in the course - of his cruise to Sydney. We are' afraid; thkt the American authorities have been more polite, than accurate in expressing a desire to show their appreciation of thd promptitude of the New Zealand. invitation, for it was-only after-it had -been officially announced that tie, fleet : Avas to go to Australia'that Sir Joseph\Ward invited ;it.to come -.to- this -country ■ also, Mr Deakin, in : fact, beat Sir Joseph out of sight in > this courtesy to;the American navy,; but • despite that ■ circumstance there is no doubt that in- Auckland 'the visitors will ■ be made quite as .welcome as they- will • be in' either-'Sydney; .or kMel-

bourne. Incidentally it appears that we shall reap a commercial advantage from the advertisement of our coal, the existence oi which in ample and excellent supplies is already known to the Washington authorities. For this we have to thank the famous feat of the British -warship Calliope whtcli steamed out of Apia when the American and German vessels vera being driven ashore by a gale. The escape of the British vessel was largely attributed to the steaming qualities of the Westport coal which will perhaps receive a further test in the furnaces of our forthcoming visitors, provided, of course, that supplies are not cut off by labour troubles on the West Coast. Fortunately the Unions there 6how no disposition to host themselves as well as the mining industry by a Quixotic display of sympathy with the misguided men at Blackball, so that probably if Admiral Evans has ran short of coal by the time he reaches Auckland, he will have no difficulty in replenishing his bonkers.