PACIFIC CRUISE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22196, 5 December 1946, Page 3

PACIFIC CRUISE

RETURN OF CORVETTE REMOTE ISLANDS VISITED (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Doc. 3. Many of the more remote islands under British administration in the Pacific were visited by the Flower class corvette, H.M.N.Z.S. Arbutus, during a two months' Pacific cruise which ended on Sunday when the ship returned to Auckland. Reviving a pre-war custom, the Arbutus did more than “show the flag” among the island groups. Carrying officials of the Cook Islands and Western Samoan administrations she acted as a communications link for lesserknown islands and paid official calls on the French and American authorities a.t Papeete and Paco Pago respectively. At many of the smaller islands no anchorage was available. While the ship lav off shore, officers and men visiting the settlements boarded native canoes and “shot the reef” to gain the calm waters of the lagoon and reach the beach. The Arbutus left Auckland on September 17 and. after calling at Wellington. proceeded to Rarotonga, where she embarked the Resident Commissioner in the Cook Islands. Mr. W. Tailbv. and members of his staff. After visiting various islands in the Lower Cook Group, the corvette returned to Rarotonga and with the French Minister to New Zealand, M. Armand Gazel, on board proceeded to Tahiti. Later in her cruise the Arbutus visited Apia and. after embarking the Administrator of Western Samoa, Lieutenant-Colonel- F. W. Voelcker, proceeded to Paco Paco in American Samoa. From Samoa the ship called at Niue and Tonga as well as smaller islands in the area and returned to Auckland via Suva.