SIGHTSEEING TRIP

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 5, 6 January 1940, Page 8

SIGHTSEEING TRIP

MORE CARS THAN WERE REQUIRED RESPONSE OF CITIZENS "I wish to apologise to those people who so gladly lent their cars for conveying men from the H.M.S. Ramillies round the city and found that those cars were not required,” said the Mayor (Mr. W. J. Rogers). “We were told at mid-day yesterday that the party from the warship would be 108 men less than intended, a lastminute change having been made. For that reason we had ample cars, and we tried to spread the men out so that all available would be used, but the men preferred to travel in parties they made up themselves. For that reason some of the cars were not needed.” His Worship thanked all those who lent their cars and also those responsible for organising the trip. Mr. C. R. White, town clerk, bore the main job in the organisation of the tour, and those in charge of the various co-operating bodies were Mr. L. H. Dowling, in charge of the Automobile Association cars; Mr. J. H. Minnell and Mr. E. Hamling, of the Traffic Department; Inspector J. Dempsey, in charge of police officers, and Mr. J. H. Frethey, assistant city engineer. The police controlled the moving traffic, and at Virginia Lake, when the reserve was being inspected by the visitors, and the A.A. and Traffic Department took control at the Racecourse and Drill Hall. At the end of the official welcoming celemony the cars left the Racecourse, where the men joined the vehicles, the procession making a great sight. The City Council cars led the parade and the Automobile Association cars were in attendance, although not in the procession. The whole of the tour, including the stop at Virginia Lake, was well conducted and was got through in good time from the departure from the Racecourse to the disembarkation at the Sarjeant Gallery. The route followed was: Ingestre Street, left through College Street into Liverpool Street extension, left again into Grey Street, right into Parsons Street, and via Parsons Street to St. John's Hill to the lookout point on the Great North Road. From there the cars proceeded to the main entrance of Virginia Lake, and the men got out and walked through the reserve to Virginia Road, where they rejoined the cars, which had gone round in the meantime. The tour was then carried on down Christie's Hill to Halswell Street, into Somme Parade, toward Wanganui to St. George's Gate, thence to the i Library and Art Gallery, and on to , the Drill Hall, from where the visiting men paraded through the city area. Scenes at .Marton A large and enthusiastic crowd gathered at the Marton railway station last evening to extend a welcome to the complement from the Ramillies, and keen interest was displayed as the special train arrived from Wanganui. The sailors sat down to an excellent late dinner at the railway refreshment rooms,' following which they were besieged by well-wishers and hundreds of autograph-hunters, including large numbers of school children. “We enjoyed the visit to Wanganui very much, and our only regret is that we could not make a longer stay.. It was a welcome break for us,” remarked one of the crowd of sailors, an opinion which was endorsed by his comrades. As the signal sounded for the train to pull out, cheers were exchanged and the crowd sang “Auld Lang Syne.” the sailors joining in.