ARABIS ARRIVES

Evening Star, Issue 25635, 8 November 1945, Page 7

ARABIS ARRIVES

SECOND VISIT OF GORVETTE SERVICE IN THE SOLOMONS On her second visit to Dunedin, H. Arabis berthed at Birch street wharf at 7.15 this morning. The corvette is making a cruise of the southern ports, left Oamaru last night, and is to sail again on Sunday night. Arabis is commanded by Lieutenant C. Clinton Steveip, R.N.Z.N.V.R., and his officers are Lieutenant W. N. Hancock, R.N.Z.N.V.R., first lieutenant; Lieutenant D. Blake, R.N.Z.N.V.R., navigating officer; Sub-lieutenant E. Chisholm, R.N.Z.N.V.R., anti-subma-rine officer; Sub-lieutenant V. W. Were, R.N.Z.N.R., watchkeeping officer; and Mr H. W. Harris, R.N.Z.N., warrant engineer. Arabis is a corvette of the improved Flower class, with a displacement of I, tons. She is 208 ft in length, with a beam of 33ft, and a draught of 17ft 6in. She carries a complement of six officers and 78 ratings.

Her armament consists of one 4in gun forward, one twin Oerlikon gun aft for anti-aircraft defence, and six single Oerlikons, in addition to depthcharge projectors. She is also fitted with submarine detecting apparatus and radar. During the morning official calls were paid to the commanding officer by the Mayor (Mr D. C. Cameron), the naval officer in charge (Lieutenantcommander J, C. Seelye), and representatives of the Otago Harbour Board. Dhe captain later returned ths calls. SHIP’S MOVEMENTS. Commissioned at Greenock, Scotland, in February, 1944, Arabis arrived at Auckland in August of the same year. She was at that Jam's commanded by Lieutenant-commander J. C. Seelye, now naval officer in charge at Dunedin. After a refit at the base the little vessel made a cruise of the southern ports, calling at Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin, under the command of Lieutenant Nigel Blair. Subsequently she carried out escort and anti-submarine duties in the Solomons area with United States naval vessels, returning to Auckland in July last. After a refit she left on her present southern cruise, calling at Wellington, Nelson, Picton, Lyttelton, Timaru, Oamaru. and Dunedin. From here she will proceed to- Bluff,. thence back to Auckland. ■ During her stay at Dunedin Arabis will be thrown open to the public on Friday and Saturday afternoons between the hours of 2 and 4.