CASS BAY DEPOT

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30895, 30 October 1965, Page 23

CASS BAY DEPOT

Sea Cadets Move In The training ship Steadfast unit of the Canterbury Navy League’s Sea Cadet Corps has had verbal confirmation from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research that it may use part of the old naval armament depot at Cass Bay. The cadets have moved in and are renovating and adapting the buildings. Lieutenant Commander J. M. Norrie, the unit’s commanding officer, said that the unit had been granted the use of eight buildings at Cass Bay—six old concrete ammunition stores, an old wooden house, a large store and a garage. He said the ammunition stores would be used for classrooms, clothing storage, recreation space, and sleeping accommodation for week-end camps. The house would be used as an administration office, the garage as a classroom, and the large store as a parade ground and quarterdeck. Lieutenant Commander Norrie said the use of the Cass Bay buildings would improve the effectiveness of the sea cadet unit by making its activities more interesting. It would also widen the unit's scope for training, because the headquarters would now be beside the sea and the unit’s three boats.

At present, the Tuesday evening parades were held at H.M.N.Z.S. Pegasus in Christchurch, but it was hoped to switch them to Cass Bay next spring.