N.Z. CRUISERS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 121, 19 November 1934, Page 10

N.Z. CRUISERS

CALL AT WELLINGTON

After spending more than a fortnight in Melbourne during.the height of the Centenary celebrations, the cruisers attached to the New Zealand Division'of the Royal Navy, H.M.S. Dunedin and Diomcde, arrived in AVcllington yesterday afternoon from Melbourne, via southern ports. They are now berthed side ly side at the Glasgow Wharf, and will leave hero tomorrow for Auckland. •. -

"Warm tributes to the welcome extended to the visitors ,in Melbourne, were expressed by members of ' the cruiser's complements, for during the seventeen days whicti were spent in the Victorian port they were almost overwhelmed by hospitality. "We have never experienced such hospitality as we were given in Melbourne," said Captain Cosmo Graham, R.N.,, commando? of the Diomedc, to a reporter. "Tho Victorians are the most. charming lot of people, and when we -were through with fho official • entertainments there were private dinners and dances for us every night. The men woro given a wonderful time and were welcomed free on the trams and railways and even to tho cinemas and other entertainments. When we left Melbourne the American warship Augusta'played us out of the harbour with 'Auld Lang Sync.' We thought it was a most graceful action." The New Zealand cruisers took part in the Navy Week' arranged during the celebrations. With " them at Melbourne were Imperial ships, ships from Australia and India, and from Americe, Italy, and France. Demonstrations were given practically every day; gunnery, torpedo firing, drilling, signalling, and so on. Tho Dunedin and Dibmede were each visited by about 7000 people daily.