PUKAKI ARRIVES IN AUCKLAND

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29200, 10 May 1960, Page 16

PUKAKI ARRIVES IN AUCKLAND

End Of Far East Commission (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 9. Families and sweethearts crowded Calliope wharf today to greet the ship’s company of H.M.N.Z.S. Pukaki on its return from a year of service in the Far East. Commander W. R. Williams, R.N.Z.N., the commanding officer of the Pukaki, said the commission had been a happy and profitable one. The Pukaki had “been all round the countryside,” steamed almost 45,000 miles and never once been forced to pull out of a Far East exercise because of a mechanical

fault, he said. It was becoming more and more difficult to keep ships of the Pukaki’s class in first-class order, and it was a tribute to the ship’s engineers and maintenance staff that the frigate had performed so well, said Commander Williams. No Shots No shots had been fired in anger at either Malayan bandits or Far East pirates, he said. Commander Williams explained that the Pukaki’s Far East service had a threefold purpose: to contribute to the Commonwealth strategic reserve, to provide Fleet training for New Zealanders and to show the New Zealand flag to the people of South-east Asia. Members of the ship’s company had gained an enormous amount of goodwill for New Zealand when on two occasions—in Japan and Ceylon—they had made voluntary contributions to local blood transfusion services. In both countries, 80 per cent, of the crew gave blood.