DIOMEDE DELAYED

Evening Star, Issue 21935, 23 January 1935, Page 3

DIOMEDE DELAYED

DEFECT IN SHAFT SUPPORT [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, January 22. Tho discovery of a defect in an “A bracket ” supporting the starboard propeller taiisbalt of H.M.S. Diomede will mean that the cruiser will make a prolonged stay in dock. The lignum vitae bush in the hearing of the bracket has become badly worn, and will have to be replaced. This is a somewhat lengthy task, and repairs are not expected to bo completed before February 5. The Diomede went into dock on January 12 for cleaning and inspection preparatory to her southern cruise, it was thought that her stay in dock would be from live to ten days, depending oo the amount of work to he done, but the defect in the bracket means much additional work. Faults iu “ A brackets ” of both the Dunedin and the Diomede have caused a measure of trouble iu the past. The fact that this is the third similar repair job found necessary' within the space of a year draws attention to the age of the two cruisers on the station. The fact that the Diomede will he making a longer stay in the dock than was anticipated has interfered with tinprogramme for her southern cruise. If the repairs are completed according to the present schedule, she will leave Auckland for Gisborne on February 5, a day late, and one day will be omitted from her stay at Gisborne before she proceeds to the south to sail on training cruises with the Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago divisions of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. The Laburnum will go into dock at Devenport as soon as tho Diomede comes out. She will be overhauled and generally prepared for her final voyage to England, where she will be broken up. The Laburnum is to leave Auckland towards the end of February, and will be, replaced by the new convoysloop Wellington about the middle of the year.