Extra Comfort For Crews Of New R.N.Z.N. Frigates

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28897, 18 May 1959, Page 7

Extra Comfort For Crews Of New R.N.Z.N. Frigates

Air - conditioning, cafeteria meals and bunks insteai of hammocks will make living more comfortable aboard the Royal New Zealand Navy Whitby class anti-submarine frigate Otago, launched by Princess Margaret last November, and now being fitted out in Britain in readiness for commissioning next year. The newly appointed commanding officer of the frigate. Commander L. G. Carr, outlined some features of the Otago last evening.

He is in Christchurch to talk to members of the R.N.Z.N. Volunteer Reserve on his command this evening. Commander Carr said the frigate would be a “modern ship with speeds capable of modern anti-submarine requirements.** The Otago was the first ship of a new frigate squadron for the R.N.Z.N. being fitted out this year. Another frigate was H.M.N.Z.S. Taranaki, also In an advanced stage of. construction, he said. Commander Carr said that habitability had been stressed in the fitting out of the Otago “There will be bunks instead of hammocks for everybody. The kind of bunk that can be converted into a settee by day.” Cafeteria service would replace the traditional “canteen” for meals and the ship’s company would eat in a dining hall. Chief petty officers and petty officers would have separate dining halls. He said there would be a laundry for the ship’s company. This would be the first time such a service was provided on one of the “little ships” of the R.N.Z.N.

Commander Carr said the frigate would be constructed in the usual naval “compartment” style with mess-decks for 20 to 30 ratings. Plastic containers would be issued to every man for davtime storage of bedding. There would be heaters in the mess-decks and tables for ratings to use. The frigate would be completely air-conditioned, he said.

Commander Carr is leaving New Zealand at the end of August to attend a senior officers’

war course in England. “I will then stand by supervising the completion of the ship and making any necessary plans or organisation ready for the commissioning.” He said the frigate should be in this country by the end of next year. “The date cannot be fixed very. firmly at the moment, but it should be commissioned in June or July next year. “After trials and work-ups she will take passage to New Zealand*” Commander Carr added. H.M.N.Z.S. Otago will have a standard displacement of 2200 tons and 2800 tons with a full load. The frigate will have a complement of 189.