N.Z. NAVY

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 October 1933, Page 5

N.Z. NAVY

COMMODORE PROMOTED. ' ___ 1 ■ [RY CABLE —PRESS ASSN.— -COPYRIGHT.] LONDON, September 29. Captain Burges Watson, 1 Commodore commanding the New Zealand station, has been promoted RearAdmiral. The Admiralty announces that at the request of the New Zealand Government Rear-Admiral Burges-Watson will complete his appointment before retiring. 1 i i FAREWELL DELAYED. AUCKLAND, September 30. Orders were received to-day ; for Commander E. L. Berthon to remain in his present appointment as officer-in-charge of the Devonport Naval Base, pending further instructions. Commander Berthon intended sailing by the Monowai next Tuesday. He has been a guest at several farewell functions recently and yesterday .welcomed Commander B. C. B. Brooke, who arrived with his wife and family by the Remuera to succeed him. Under the latest orders Commander Brooke is to be retained at the base in addition to Commander Berthon. BRITISH EXERCISES.

LONDON, September 30.

The Admiralty and the Air Ministry havo issued a joint statement, irt view of newspapers having been drawing certain tactical conclusions from, last week’s Scottish naval manoeuvres/ The Admiralty says it is desirable to state that the exercises • were' designed to exercise shore-based aircraft over sea contact with the Navy, an’d also the ships’ anti-aircraft defences, for which the naval dispositions were solely There was no intention of testing the relative power of these arms in attack and defence on the coast. Consequently, the military did not participate.

U.S.A. PROGRAMME. (Reed. October 2, 8 a.m.) HONOLULU, September 30. Mr. Swanson, who arrived here on a week’s inspection by naval installations at Hawaii stated: “The Navy Department’s ship-building- prograiflttio to bring the sea forces to treaty strength, is not aimed at. any other Power, but is merely a treaty measure. Japan is entirely within her rights and her plans for a larger navy, but an Aftierican navy second to none, is the heist assurance of continued world peade. No other nation can object '-to' ottj plans. We have not objected toothefr nations building, provided they do hot. exceed the ration as signatories of the London Treaty. Keeping our fleet in the Pacific is merely an econoiny measure, since it is cheaper to keep vessels concentrated.” He said his belief was that the Pearl Harbour base was destined to become; perhaps most important to the United States. : r...,,?