WORK OF THE NAVY

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22895, 16 December 1939, Page 12

WORK OF THE NAVY

Review by Minister For Defence NEW ZEALAND’S PART Three Minesweepers Under Gonstruction(PßßS3 ASSOCIATION TELEGHAU.) WELLINGTON. December 15. An outline of New Zealand’s naval war effort was given by the Minister for Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) in a broadcast to-night. Mr Jones said that ships of the New Zealand Squadron were manned by about 60 per cent, of New Zealand ratings and about 40 per cent, of ratings lent from the Royal Navy. One contribution which New Zealand was making to the seagoing side of naval defence was the provision of an armed merchant cruiser, and the Monowai, well-known as a ship of the Union Company, was now at the Naval Base being armed and fitted out. After stating that there was much information which must continue to be kept secret Mr Jones said that in August last there were on the New Zealand station the two cruisers Leander and Achilles of the New Zealand Naval Forces, the two escort vessels Leith and Wellington, and the surveying ship Endeavour belonging to the Imperial Navy. During the latter days of August the Achilles, at the request -of the Government of the United Kingdom, was dispatched for service first in the Eastern Pacific and later in the South Atlantic with the result that all knew—she had taken part in the first cruiser engagement of the war. The Imperial ships Leith, Wellington, and Endeavour were also sent at the request of the Admiralty to serve on other stations, leaving the Leander, the flagship of the New Zealand Squadron, to operate in the waters surrounding New Zealand. Shortly before the outbreak of war the Leander left Auckland to convey the first reinforcements to Pacific island garrisons and since her return from that duty she- had been employed patrolling and searching for raiders or their bases around the coasts of the Dominion. In addition to the ships mentioned New Zealand also possessed one trawler, the Wakakura, which was normally used principally for training the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. This little ship was fitted as a minesweeper, but of course one minesweeper was quite inadequate by herself, so the New Zealand Government had taken up three of the trawlers which fish from Auckland, the James Cosgrove, the Humphrey, and the Thomas Currell. They had been reconditioned and fitted up as minesweepers, and were now in commission after a period of training. They had taken up their duty of searching approaches to our ports for mines which might have been laid, or might be laid, by the enemy. Other trawlers were also being fitted to act as minesweepers should the need arise. . “Ships Being Built” “A further and most valuable reinforcement to New Zealand’s naval forces is under way in the shape of three small training vessels, not unlike trawlers, which are being specially built in Scotland and will be armed with a 4-inch gun and smaller weapons, and equipped for minesweeping and anti-submarine work,” said Mr Jones. “These three ships, which will be called the Moa, the Kiwi and the Tui, will, it is hoped, be ready for service in about 18 months, and will prove a most valuable, efficient and up-to-date unit.” The Minister said that in this early stage of the development of our naval forces there were of course few New Zealand-born officers serving in our ships, but as time went on the proportion of New Zealand to Imperial officers and men would steadily increase. In the meantime complements of sea-going ships had been brought up to war strength by the mobilisation of officers and men of the New Zealand Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Officers and men of these reserve forces were also serving in minesweepers alongside personnel who had volunteered from the Mercantile Marine. There would be in the New Zealand Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve a- considerable number of officers and men who would not be needed for the manning of our own ships and the Government had recently informed the • Government in the United Kingdom that they would be placed at the disposal of the Admiralty for service in the Royal Navy wherever they might be required. The training of officers and men who had not yet been mobilised for actual service was being continued to the greatest possible extent. Arming of Merchant Ships “Another very important item in the naval defence of the Empire and protection of the merchant shipping is the arming of merchant ships so that they can act in their own defence when attacked by the enemy on the high seas.” said Mr Jones. “The naval base at Auckland has up to now equipped no fewer than 20 ships with guns of 4-inch or higher calibre, and each of these ships has - sailed from Auckland with a gun crew, the nucleus of which is formed by three of the young men of the New Zealand Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. These ships are now continuing to trade in the distant parts of the world This work of arming merchant ships and manning their guns is continuing steadily. “It will be remembered that the Doric Star was recently attacked by an enemy raider and her fate is not yet known. This was one of the ships provided with a gun and a gun crew in New Zealand, sb this means that these three men were the first members of the New Zealand naval forces to be in abtion. with the enemy. All this work of fitting out and equipping ships has thrown a tremendous strain upon the workmen employed at the base at Devonport and at the Naval Armament Depot at Kouri Point. The work has proceeded smoothly and without a hitch”