NAVAL PLANS OF NEW ZEALAND

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24983, 18 September 1946, Page 3

NAVAL PLANS OF NEW ZEALAND

STRENGTH OF 1800 NEEDED

LARGER PART IN PACIFIC DEFENCE

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 17. It is anticipated that in the immediate future 1800 personnel will be to man all establishments and ships of the Royal New Zealand Navy. This was announced to-day by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones), who said that the total was expected to be reached by the end of June, 1947, and would include 300 men from the Royal Navy. The Minister said the ships would include H.M.N.Z.S. Black Prince, at present in reserve in Auckland, and H.M.N.Z.S. Bellona, to replace the Achilles. It was expected that the Bellona would arrive in New Zealand waters about December 15.

The strength of the Royal New Zealand Navy at the end of this year would be 1500, which would include 203 from the Royal Navy. Mr Jones disclosed that at the end of this month all “hostility only” personnel, with the exception of six officers, would have been released from the service. There were 218 ratings who had volunteered for further service until the end of this year. ’ The Naval Board had based its immediate post-war plans on the probability that New Zealand would play a larger part in British Commonwealth naval defence, particularly in the south Pacific, than before the war, said Mr Jones. Much of the shore organisation that had been brought about during the war would be required permanently, and it would, be necessary to provide for future port defence needs and for minesweeping on a skeleton basis.

Apart from exercises in New Zealand waters, visits to New Zealand ports, and cruises to the Pacific islands, Mr Jones said it was intended to arrange eventually for tactical exercises with the Australian and British Pacific naval forces, and periods of attachment of one cruiser at a time to Royal Navy cruiser squadrons on such stations as might be arranged with the Admiralty. A new general service-technical branch in the Royal New Zealand Navy was being formed by the amalgamation of the present torpedo and anti-submarine branches. Mr Jones also said that the Government was considering new rates of pay designed to achieve the greatest possible uniformity with the other two services, and to make the Navy a more attractive career. The question of improved living conditions had also been under review.