SHOWING THE FLAG.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 249, 20 October 1928, Page 12

SHOWING THE FLAG.

LABURNUM'S 10,000 MILES.

VISITS TO LOHELT ISLES*

HOSPITABLE AMERICANS AND

FRENCH.

Like her florally-named twin sister, the Veronica, H.M. sloop Laburnum (Commander Attwood) has just returned to port from her annual cruise among the Pacific islands. She covered just on 10,000 miles, while the Veronica's log showed between 8000 and 0000 miles. Both ships left Auckland on June 5. The Veronica returned to port yesterday, and the Laburnum this morning. During her long cruise the Laburnum got as far as Maiden Island, away up in about 4.30 south,, not a great way from the equator, whence we used to get a good deal of guano, but to-day the island is quite deserted," except for a few domestic animals, such as pigs, fowls, and a solitary cat, which remained behind when the workmen left. The reason of the abandonment was the high cpst of shipping the guano. After calling at Suva the sloop went on to Samoa, and then Pukapuka, on to Danger Island, Manahiki, and Nukonono, in the Tokelau group, north of Samoa, one of the distant British outposts in the Pacific. On this run the collector or Customs and Prof. Thomson, a meteorologist, were passengers, having offifflclal duties to perform in the group, Samoa is one of the main meteorological stations in the Pacific, whence warnings are Issued concerning hurricanes, those bugbears of certain belts in the tropics, during cer* tain seasons of the year.

The return to Apia was followed by a run to Pago Pago, where the Americans were, most hospitable. It was after Pago Pago that the Laburnum went on her long journey to Maiden Island. Thenoe she went on to Flint Island, one of the Lever Brothers' leased islands, where copra for soap making is grown by a small community of Tahitiang. Papeete, the capital of the Society Islands, the French possession, was next visited, and there the Laburnum came in for the tail end of the celebrations held on the anniversary of the fall of the Bastille (July 14), a fete in which the Frenchman, no matter what part of the globe he may find himself, always honours with his customary elan., There the Laburnum found the French sloop Cassiopec. A visit was next paid to Borabora, where the Cassiopee was met again, she having on board the French Governor on an official tour. Hervey Island, with its only white man, and Atiu, a tiny island with its village situated on the highest point inland, were next touched at, and the only other island in the Cook Group .that was visited was Rarotonga, where four days were spent. Thence the sloop went back to Pago Pago to coal and water, and the Americans repeated their kind hospitality, placing all the facilities of the station at the disposal of the "British "warship. From there she went on. to Waois.lsland, then back {o Suva for inspection by the Commodore A who was there in the Dunedin. " ; Tn squadron the Laburnum won the rowing evenfand an Association football match. While in Fiji waters some surveying was done in the Nadi passage, where a vessel had struck a Submerged rock, iftd" the slobp locatcgl. it after three days' sweeping. Gunnery practice followed and the Laburnum finally left,. Suva, and reached port this morning.