Sale of frigate to N.Z. attacked

Press, 13 October 1982, Page 3

Sale of frigate to N.Z. attacked

NZPA London The sale of a Falklands task force ship to New Zealand was bitterly attacked yesterday by the sacked Navy Minister, Mr Keith Speed. The Leander-class frigate. H.M.S. Bacchante, under her new’ name. H.M.N.Z.S. Wellington, sailed out of Portsmouth yesterday under the New Zealand flag while all eyes were on the raising of the Mary Rose just a kilometre away.

The official handing-over ceremony on October 1 was not attended by the British press. Press reports in NewZealand asserted that the British news media had been kept in the dark because the sale was politically sensitive after the Falklands war.

But the Ministry of Defence said last evening that it never announced the date of hand-over ceremonies and

denied it had tried to gag reports.

Mr Speed accused the Ministry of deliberately playing down the sale because of today's Falklands parade and the forthcoming Defence Review.

"I thought that when ships were handed over there was quite a ceremony, including the press. So it must have been remarkably low key, and I did not know about it. I have a feeling people are trying to play it down.” said Mr Speed. "One does get a little surprised when a ship goes cloaked in mystery,” he said. Mr Speed called for a moratorium on the sale of all Royal Navy ships until orders had been placed for replacements for the four ships sunk in the Falklands campaign. "We need all the carriers and frigates we have,” he said.

A Ministry spokesman said

last evening that it was Government policy to leave any announcement of a sale to the customer nation. But Mr David Lawson, the press officer for the New Zealand High Commission, said it was the Ministry's responsibility. ‘‘Our role was just to notify the New Zealand press. The Ministry made all the arrangements. We were there just as guests.” he said. A second frigate. H.M.S. Dido, will be sold to New Zealand next year, the Ministry confirmed. H.M.N.Z.S. Wellington, under Commander John Peddie. is due at Auckland on December 2.

Refuelling stops on the way will include the Azores, Bermuda, San Diego. Hawaii, and Pago Pago. The Wellington, which has a normal crew of 250. sailed with a “steaming" crew of 150 flown to Britain bv the R.N.Z.A.F.