HOME AGAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 277, 22 November 1934, Page 9

HOME AGAIN.

TWO CRUISERS.

SOUVENIRS OF AUSTRALIA

LEAVE FOR RATINGS.

Chirruping and whistling birds, souvenirs of their trip to Australia, now brighten the business-like decks of H.M.S. Dunedin, flagship, of the Xew Zealand squadron, which • returned this morning with H.M.S. Diomede, after a two months' visit to Hobart, Melbourne and Sydney. The cruisers called at Dunedin and Lyttelton respectively and at Wellington immediately before their return to Auckland.

At Dunedin Joey, a wallaby presented to Rear-Admiral F. Burgos Watson, died after being aboard only a few weeks, and he was duly mourned by Gump, the Admiral's bull terrier pup, which joined the ship's company at Morea when the cruisers were paying their annual visit to Pacific Islands earlier in the year. Gump and Joey had been playmates, although the young wallaby found the pup somewhat tiresome, and tried to •-tage stand-lip fights in the manner of boxing kangaroos. The play fill" dog was usually rescued by somebody before he was injured.

Official calls and ceremonies were exchanged this morning between Gump, of the flagship, and Bruiser, the new pup aboard the training ship Philomel. After a few minutes of shrewd "sizing up" on both sides, each animal decided that the other was a credit to the Xavy, and off they went for a frolic in the dockyard. Particularly aboard the Dunedin birds arc in evidence. All sorts and sizes from finches and canaries to larger and less ordinary Australian birds are represented, and the perpetual twittering and whistling suggests a dove-like peacefulriess aboard these ships of war.

Animals are not the only tilings of the cruisers enjoying- themselves, for one watch from each ship, totalling about 200 men, started early Christmas leave this afternoon. They will be ashore for two weeks. The ships will remain at the Shecrlegs wharf until December 15, when they leave for Wellington, returning to Auckland on December 22, when the other watch will be granted leave. While tlicy were in Australia the officers aud men were treated to such a good time that some said this morning that they were glad to be back in Auckland for the sake of the "rest."