NAVAL CONTROL

Grey River Argus, 6 December 1940, Page 4

NAVAL CONTROL

- N.Z. Vessels WELLINGTON, December 4. The degree of control exercised by .the New Zealand Government over ships of the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy at .present, was defined by the Minister for Defence (the Hon. F. J'ones) in an interview to-day. . “In accordance with a long-stana-ing agreement with the British Government, we handed over to the Admiralty when the war began the two cruisers in the New Zealand Division, H.M.S. Achilles, and H.M.S. Leander,” Mr. Jones said. “Although these ships are under the control of the Admiralty for the duration of the war, their movements are always determined and directed in consultation with the New Zealand Government.”

The Minister explained that while the cruisers were now acting as units of the Royal Navy, questions of pay and conditions in them came under the New Zealand regulations. As far as other naval units such as minesweepers and the various auxiliaries were concerned, they remained under full New Zealand control, and the Dominion’s regulations applied to those on board. Only the two cruisers had been handed over to the Admiralty. It was absolutely essential to effective naval- operations that the utmost co-operation and coordination should be established, 'and that could only be done when there was one directing authority. That applied to the whole of the British Commonwealth.