SOUTH PACIFIC CRUISE

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 April 1937, Page 5

SOUTH PACIFIC CRUISE

N.Z. WARSHIPS PROGRAMME

[per PP.ESS ASSOCIATION. 1

AUCKLAND, April 27. All three sea-going vessels of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy will leave Auckland within the next few weeks to make their annual Winter cruises to the Pacific Islands. The sloop Wellington will sail on May 4 and return on August 3. The Leith will leave on June 7 and return on September 18, and the flagship Achilles will leave on her first cruise away from New Zealand since she has been on the station, on June 12. In addition to undertaking her usual patrol duties, the Wellington will take a party of scientists to Canton Island in the Phoenix Group, for observing the eclipse of the sun. Ihe expedition will be led by Mr C. B. Michie, of Kaitaia-, and will arrive at the island on May 26. Special instruments are being taken by the party, and it is expected that important data will be obtained from observing the total eclipse, which will be seen only from the Phoenix Islands.

The programme for the cruise ot the Wellington is as follows:- —Leave Auckland, May 4; Suva, May 10 Lo May 22; Canton Island, May 26 to June 11: Apia. June 14 to June 15; Fak.- -j 17; Atafu, June 18; Nukunono, June 19: Apia, June 24 to June 25; Pago Pago. June 26 to June 30; Suvarov, July 2 to July 4; Moorea, July 8 to July 12; Papeete, July 12 to July 18; Aitutaki, July 21; Rarotonga,’July 22 to July 25: Auckland, August 3. Arrangements for the Leith are: — Leave"'Auckland June 7; Suva, June 12 to June 15; New Hebrides Group, June IS to June 29; Solomon Islands, Juno 30 to July 19; Nauru, July 22; Ocean Island. July 23 to July 25; GiUiort Islands. July 26 to August 8; Ellice Islands. August 9 to August 13; Rotumah, August 14 to August 16; Suva, August 18 to August. 25: Koro, August. 25 to August 26: Apia, August 28 to September 5; Lufuka, September 7 to September 9; Nukualofa,'September 9 to September 13; Auckland, September IS. The programme for the Achilles has not yet been finally approved but, after leaving Auckland on June 12, she will make her first call at Nukualofa and then go on to Suva. The cruises of the two sloops will embrace nearly all the island groups of the South Pacific, and the warships will call at Polynesian, Melanesian, and Micronesian islands. It is noticeable that, the Leith is going this year from Suva to the New Hebrides. Last year when the Dunedin planned u> go to the New Hebrides first, ii was found iha I the quarantine regttia-

lions in Fiji governing vessels coming from a recognised malaria belt would interfere with the so the visit to the New Hebrides Was cancelled.