DOCKYARD AREA ACQUIRED

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21973, 23 December 1936, Page 8

DOCKYARD AREA ACQUIRED

devonport navai; BASE GOVERNMENT’S ACTION ■) AGREEMENT with AITRLANt HARBOUR BOARD {PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.; AUCKLAND. December 22. The acquisition by the Government of practically the whole of the dockyard area at Devonport, with the exception of the Calliope dock itself. i 3 provided for in an agreement between the Government, the Auckland Harbour Board, and the Admiralty, which was executed at a meeting of the i board to-day. The agreement, which was authorised in terms of the Naval Defence Amendment Bill passed by Parliament in October, has been designed to eliminate dual control of the repair facilities at the dockyard, by placing thcn> under the sole control of the naval authorities. As a result of the new form of control the Government will have a small but’ up-to-date dockyard, with neccs=ary workshops and auxiliary service* capable of doing all refit work fof the ships of the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy. and. for ship* of the Imperial service. Under the terms of the agreement, the Harbour Board is to hand over to the Government 81 acres of land and 81 acres of sea-bed at a cost of £16.936, and building and machinery at an estimated compensation of £llOO, The Government will shoulder the responsibility for the remaining subsidy payments to the Harbour Board under former agreements; and the agreement also provides for an extension of facilities at the naval base at a total cost to the Naval Board of £101.780, payable in three annual instalments. Works now being carried out under the agreement include extension of the Calliope wharf and the erection of a new training pier. Although the Harbour Board is handing over the naval base, area, it will retain possession of the Calliope dock and will undertake its maintenance. The navy w'ill have priority of use of the deck providing that no naval vessel re. mains in the dock for an unreasonable time. The agreement, which had already been signed by the Minister for Defence (the Hon. F. Jones), was signed on behalf of the Lords Commissioner* of the Admiralty by Rear-Admiral tht Hon. E. R. Drummond.