EXERCISES BY BELLONA

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25135, 17 March 1947, Page 8

EXERCISES BY BELLONA

N.Z. CRUISER SHARES IN MANOEUVRES

WORK WITH AUSTRALIAN SHIPS

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, March 16. The view that ships of the Royal New Zealand Navy should be sent at intervals to Australian waters to exercise with units of the Royal Australian Navy was expressed by Commodore G. H. Faulkner, D.S.C., R.N., First Naval Member and Chief of the New Zealand Naval Staff, on his return from Sydney by flying-boat. Commodore Faulkner, who was accompanied by Captain C. R. V. Pugh, C.8.E., R.N., Naval Officer in Charge at Auckland, left Auckland for Sydney in the cruiser Bellona on March 3.

Commodore Faulkner said his visit to Australia was for two reasons. The first was to see the Bellona at sea and the second was to meet the Australian Naval Board to discuss current problems. He had not held discussions in Australia since November. 1945, and he believed that the Chief of the New Zealand Naval Staff should travel to the Commonwealth at least once a year.

Dealing with the visit of the Bellona to Australia, Commodore Faulkner said that the cruiser had carried out a “working-up” programme in the Hauraki Gulf before leaving, but she was able to carry out more advanced exercises with the greater variety of ships in the Royal Australian Navy.