CORRESPONDENCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 18975, 28 March 1924, Page 9

CORRESPONDENCE

BATTLE CRUISERS. (To the Editor.) Sir.—Re trie suggested trip to Wellington ot the children of Wanganui and district to view the battle cruisers Hood and Repulse, due to arrive in Wellington on April 24, I was pleased to see JJr. Janies Aitken’s let ter soliciting contributions to lessen the cost to parents or children- But why should railway fares be charged this time at all, for the children of our primary, secondary, or private schools for such an occasion? They were not charged when w# took 1500 of them to Wellington in 1913 to see H.M.S. New Zealand. Nor were the thousands of children charged on the railways who came from Ha wera on the-one side, and from Raetihi and Ohakune on the other side, to see the same warship when she visited the Wanganui road stead, the weather unfortunately turning out boisterous on the latter occasion. The children in and near the main Ports are being granted opportunities to visit these giant, defenders of our Empir, and why should not the young people who happen to live further away from the larger centres and main ports not have similar privileges granted to them? Free railway passes were granted when the New Zealand visited us. and now when these two larger and more formidable warships, with, most probably, several smaller ships, are to assemble in Wellington, we arc told the children are to be charged 5/5, which would mean over £5OO for 2000 children. The worst phase, to my mind, is that if a charge is made, as proposed, even although small, a considerable number of children would be deprived of the privilege of going —for obvious reasons. These would, in consequence, besides being keenly disappointed, doubtless be placed in invidious positions with their companions. Upon such an occasion the children should be taken free, or not at all. I remember on numerous occasions how we had to battle for similar concessions, and usually won through, sometimes, too, after being refused by the Department. I would suggest that our local M.P.’s, Messrs. Veitch and Glenn, and Mr t Hope Gibbons, our newly-elected Mayor, approach the authorities and press for these reasonable concessious to our young people. Mr. Aitken took the cadets and a squad ot 100 girls to the Christchurch Exhibition, and on other occasions to Auckland and to Wellington, and, if I remember rightly, free railway passes were granted in these cases also.

If it were possible' on those occasions, it should be possible now for this big event in the Dominion’s history. Quite a number of Wanganui lads served in the Navy throughout the war and gave a good account of themselves, like their brothers in the other services of our King. So let the younger generation of 10 years of age and over have the chance to see these leviathians.—l am, etc., W. BRUCE.

P.S. —About two years ago, when the Turkish stunt was threatening a former pupil of the Victoria Avenue School told me he was on the Naval Reserve and in response to the call-ing-up order was on his way to Wellington to join up again. He had been serving in the Navy, and was drafted to the Australian cruiser Sydney as a gunner. He was enthusiastic in recording his pleasure in haying been able to plump shells into the German cruiser Emden near Cocos Island. He claimed that one of his was the last shell to strike her before she surrendered. He asked me to convey his greetings and thanks to his old master, Mr. James Aitken.—W.B.