FLAGSHIP’S REFIT

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 November 1932, Page 7

FLAGSHIP’S REFIT

TO BE DONE AT AUCKLAND. [PEE pbesb association.] AUCKLAND, November 11. Arrangements are being made for ■the “Diomede,” the flagship of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, to undergo her biennial rent at Auckland next year, instead of returning to England. This will represent a considerable saving, and will also provide employment for a number ot local tradesmen. The cruisers of the Royal Navy undergo a refit every two years, with an extended refit every seven years. The biennial, or shart refit, is by too means as complete as the extended refit, which, to all intents and purposes, is responsible for the pioduction of a new and up-to-date fighting ship- , , , The “Diomede” had her last extended refit at Chatham in 1930, when she was absent from the Dominion for about fourteen months. The short refit, however, is an exhaustive form of naval spring-cleaning, and in the case of a cruiser of the “Diomede’s” class the cost in England is about £35,000. The carrying out of the refit in Auckland will obviate the expense of sending the flagship to England and back, and the naval authorities are satisfied that the work can be satisfactorily performed locally. The exact sum to be spent on the work will not be known until the Estimates are placed' before Parliament next year. . A certain amount of work will be done by the naval ratings, but shore labour will also be required, and it is possible that this will be arranged on a contract system. However, an important point is that complete charge for work will be spent locally and should prove of material assistance to trade generally.