Blanchard, a former governor of Michigan and one-time congressman for the Detroit area, told The Royal Gazette yesterday that he will speak at the Hamilton group's meeting on a variety of topics this afternoon, including US-Canadian relations, the North American Free Trade Agreement, the recent Summit of the Americas in Miami and next year's presidential elections in the US.

Mr. Blanchard, who is in Bermuda on a private visit, is staying with his wife at Chelston, the official Bermuda residence of the US Consul General to the Island.

Yesterday, he said that he has agreed to undertake the Rotary speech and other appearances this week as a personal favour to the current US emissary.

"Bob Farmer and I are old friends and so I consented to do a couple of receptions and speeches,'' Mr. Blanchard, who was appointed to Ottawa by US President Bill Clinton two years ago, told The Royal Gazette .

He added that he has also managed to take in a few of the major sights while in Bermuda, including some National Trust properties.

"We are enjoying the Island very much,'' the US ambassador said, "despite the (inclement) weather.'' Having been in Bermuda since Saturday, Mr. Blanchard and his wife are scheduled to leave the Island on Thursday morning.

The ambassador said yesterday that he will be answering questions from the audience at this afternoon's Rotary speech.

MAN CAUGHT DRINKING IN PUBLIC DAS CTS RG P2 28.3.1995 Man caught drinking in public Magistrate the Wor. Cheryl-Ann Mapp ordered a social inquiry report on a 46-year-old St. George's man who admitted to drinking in a public place and blocking traffic.

Eugene Broadley, of Coot Pond Road, pleaded guilty to the offences in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Donald Grant told the court that on the evening of March 25 a Police officer saw a man causing obstruction to traffic on Mullet Bay Road, in St. George's.

The man had a bottle in a paper bag, Sgt. Grant said, and when he was detained by Police, the bottle was found to contain alcohol.

Broadley was charged with drinking in a public place, and held in custody over the weekend.

"I can't remember what happened,'' he told Mrs. Mapp.

Broadley, who was released on $200 bail, was ordered to return to court on May 2 when he is expected to be sentenced.

Squabble over artifacts "Government asked Dr. Harris if we should purchase them but he said no.

Government, having sought advice, was advised they were not (valuable) because they had not been raised on archaeological principles.'' He added there was only so much that could be done with vast numbers of bottles and clay pipes dredged up from wrecks.

"If Government takes everything what would Government do with it?'' he asked.

"How many bottles do you want?'' "If Government thought something was really worth preserving in the public domain, we would buy it. There would never be a question of Government turning something down because there was not enough money.'' Questions of how to insure, preserve and display unlimited numbers of underwater artifacts also had to be taken into consideration.

At present the wrecks committee is in the process of updating the 1959 Act to take account of modern salvage techniques -- not because the act is perceived as too lax, Dr. Saul said. The proposed amendments could come before Parliament before the end of the year.

"We want to make amendments that are practical, fair and reasonable and that make common sense,'' he said. At present the committee is examining salvaging laws adopted in other countries.

Committee chairman Mr. Jack Lightbourn said there were two schools of thought within the committee.

The 1989 bill put forward by Dr. Harris, he said, was not fair to divers and would mean they would soon stop looking for wrecks if Government refused to pay compensation for their finds.

He added that policing Bermuda's waters would be an added problem.

"Dr. Harris says everything is squandered away -- that is not so. He thinks everything found should be retained by Government solely,'' he said.