NEW CRUISER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 245, 30 July 1935, Page 5

NEW CRUISER

DIOMEDE TO BE REPLACED.

ARRIVAL NEXT YEAR

(Per Press Association). AUCKLAND, July 29

A cruiser of the new Leander class, representing one of the greatest of recent triumphs in British naval architecture, will arrive on the New Zealand Station next year 'to replace the Diomede. This announcement was made by the Minister of Defence, Hon. J. G. Cobbe, who is visiting Auckland. No definite date has been fixed for the arrival of the new cruiser, nor is it known which of the five ships of class at present built will be sent to New Zealand. ... .A

Mr Cobbe said the date of the new cruiser’s arrival would depend largely on the completion of the arrangements for alterations to the Calliope Dock. That matter was being discussed by the Naval Board and the Harbour Board. Arrangements would also have to be made regarding the return of the Diomede to the Admiralty. 'ln due course the Dunedin, the flagship of the New Zealand Division, would also be replaced. Mr Cbbbe added, however, that the exchange would probably not take place until a year or two after the first replacement. Cruisers of the Leander class follow the design of ,the warship of that name which was launched in 1931. Other ships of the same class are Neptune, Orion, Achilles and Ajax. They are described as representing a return to sanity in cruiser design as compared witli the overgrown and over-gunned type represented by the Australian warships Canberra and Sussex.