NAVAL PROGRAMME

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 183, 1 May 1933, Page 13

NAVAL PROGRAMME

New Zealand Squadron

MOVEMENTS OF SHIPS Dominion Special Service. Auckland, April ‘-’9. With the exception of the Admiralty trawler Wukakura, all the ships of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy will return to port at Auckland next week. 11.M.5. Laburnum, commanded by Commander R. llamsbotham, which left Auckland on January .17 ou her summer cruise to southern ports, will return ou Monday. At seven o'clock ou Friday morning H.M.S. Diomede, Ilylug the broad pennant of Commodore F. Burges Watson, will return from her island cruise with the Gov-ernor-General. Lord Bledisloe, and Lady Beldisloe, and ou the following day H.M.S. Dunedin, commanded by Captain M. P. C. de Meric, and 11.M.5. Veronica, commanded by Captain W. L. Jackson, will return from southern cruises.

On May 12, Commodore Burges Watson will transfer bis flag from the Diomede to the Dunedin and the Diomede will commence her short relit at the Devonport naval base. Most of her officers and Imperial ratings will leave for England by the Raugitata and until she recommissions in August, the Diomede will be commanded by Captain V. A. C. Crutchley, V.C. Owing to the fact that the Diomede is not returning to .England for retit, New Zealand ratings will not have the opportunity of undergoing specialised training In the schools of the Royal Navy, and of gaining experience in the Atlantic or Mediterranean fleets. However, arrangements have been made for specally selected meu to undergo training at the Flinders naval depot, .Melbourne, where special, courses in gunnery, torpedo work, wireless and signalling, together with mechanical training for stokers, are available. Already about 20 New Zealand ratings have been sent to Australia this year to take these specialised courses and others will follow when the two cruisers return to Auckland. Other specialised training which would normally have been done in English shore establishments, is actually being done within the squadron, and in cases where ratings prove proflcient they are being placed in higher ranks on an acting basis for the time being. These promotions carry increases in pay. H.M.S. Dunedin, which will become flagship of the squadron ou Maj- .12, will remain in Auckland for about six weeks. In June she will leave on her annual Island cruise, returning to Auckland in August. The sloops Veronica and Laburnum will also leave on their annual cruises, probably in June, but no details of programmes have yet been announced.