FLAG LOWERED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 251, 23 October 1944, Page 2

FLAG LOWERED

U.S. BASE CLOSED

NEW USE FOR'HEADQUARTERS

A decommissioning ceremony was held at Mechanics' Bay yesterday morning to mark the closing of the United States Naval Operating Base at Auckland. Its headquarters encampment at Mechanics' Bay is now virtually vacated,, and the only officers and enlisted men of the Navy remaining in New Zealand are a few communications personnel and other specialists. The commandant of the base, Commander J. L. Roberston, and his officers and men assembled before the flagstaff and saluted the AmeEican flag as it was lowered for the last time. The United States Consul in Auckland, . Mr. Hiram A. Boucher, and Sir Ernest Davis attended the ceremony. The base will be used by the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a combined headquarters, taking the place of the present establishment at the Teachers' Training College. It is not yet known when the college will be available to the educational authorities.

Various matters which the operating base was unable to complete before it was decommissioned have been placed in the hands of the 3rd United States Marine Corps Base Depot for disposal. The commanding officer of the depot, LieutenantColonel L. W. Nickerson, U.S.M.C, is now the senior officer of the Navy and Marine Corps establishment left in Auckland.

Among the matters to be handled by the Marine Corps Depot are several claims arising out of injury to the person and damage to property. There are no complete records of the payment made to New Zealanders by the Foreign Claims Commissions which have operated in Auckland since the Americans first came to the city. However, it is estimated that at least £100,000 has been paid by the United States Treasury to claimants' for compensation for injury or damage.