PACIFIC ISLANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 139, 15 June 1938, Page 11

PACIFIC ISLANDS.

ACHILLES' CRUISE. NEW COMMODORE'S FIRST. RECOMMISSION IN ENGLAND. Flying the broad pendant of ('onmindore I. G. (Jlennie. commodore-command-ing the New Zealand Squadron, on a seagoing voyage for the first timo, the flagship Achilles will leave the Devonport Naval Base on Friday for a short winter cruise through Pacific Islands. Although oil previous cruises since the attachment of IT.M.S. Achilles to the station the new commodore occupied the position of flag captain, flying from the masthead always was the broad pendant of Rear-Admiral the Hon. E. 11. Dnmimond, then commodore-command-ing the Xew Zealand Division of the Royal Xavy. The coming islands cruise is also the last the Achilles will make before proceeding to England to recommission late this year or early in 1939, so it may be the last under the command of Commodore Clennie. Commissioned at Chatham on March SI, 1930, the Acli'lles is Hearing the end of her first term on this station and it is expected that when she returns about the middle of next year she will have an entirely new complement of officers. I'nless special provision is made, the commodore's commission will expire at the end of March next year. Dominion Cruise. Before leaving for England, however, a further cruise of New Zealand ports will be undertaken. The itinerary, and even the approximate*date of commencement, cannot be specified yet, as the time of departure for England depends on arrangements being made for accommodating the ship for refitting in one of the British ports. When details regarding the voyage to recommission are finalised, the New Zealand cruise will be arranged. From Auckland the Achillea steams direct to Nukualofa, arriving there next Tuesday and remaining in port until the following Sunday when she put out for Yavan. After three days there, the flagship of the squadron crosses the international date line and visits Pago Pago in American Samoa, returning to this hemisphere after July 5, with a first call at Funafuti. Brief culls are also to be made at Nukufetau. Xiutao. Xanumea, Rotuma. Lantoka and Suva. At Lautoka the Achilles will stay six days | and at Suva a week, leaving there for Auckland on July 28 and arriving here on August 1. Tlie Imperial escort vessels on the station. H.M.S. Leith. Captain Lionel C. P. Tudwav, and 11.M.5. Wellington. Commander (1. N. Loriston-Clarke, are also making customary island cruises. They left Sydney, where they have been undergoing extensive refitting, on Monday evening, three days behind schedule, the Leith for Norfolk Island and the Wellington for Suva. It is considered that the Wellington will be in company with the Achilles for a short period in the Fiji <!roup when Commander Loriston-Clarke will have his first opportunity to pay respects to the new commodore. In the case of the Leith, it is unlikely that will occur until she and the flagship have returned to Nev/ Zealand waters. Many Porta of Call. The schedule of ports of call for the) Leith inc'* es, in addition to Norfolk. Lifuka. the Lau Group, the Fiji Croup and Suva, Apia, Fakaofti, Suvarov, Moorea, Papeete, the Cook Islands, Pago Pago, Keppel Island and Niuafoou. The Wellington visits Suva, the Phoenix Group, Line Islands. Suva and the Fiji Group, Ocean Island, the (filbert and Elliee Islands and Roturnah. She is expected back in Auckland on September 9 and the Leith the following day. The cruiser Leander, Captain J. W. Rivett-Carnac, is timed to clear the Devonport Base on July C, taking the Governor-General, Lord Galwav, and Lady Galway on an official visit to Western Samoa, Nine, Rarotonga and other island of the Cook Group. The last visit of that nature to outlving territories administered by the New Zealand Government was made by Viscount Bledisloe in 1933.