Monowai Fitting as Cruiser

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 297, 16 December 1939, Page 6

Monowai Fitting as Cruiser

Three Vessels Being Built in Scotland

DOMINION’S NAVAL EFFORT Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Dec. 15. An outline of New Zealand’s war effort from the naval point of view was given by the Minister of Defence in a broadcast to-night. Mr. Jones said the ships of the New Zealand Squadron were manned by about 60 per cent, of New Zealand ratings and about 40 per cent, of ratings lent from the Royal Navy. One contribution which New Zealand was making to the sea-going side of naval defence was the provision of an armed merchant cruiser and the Monowai, well-known as a ship of tho Union Company, was now at the naval base at Devonport being armed and fitted out. After stating there was much information "which must continue to be kept secret, Mr. Jones said that in August last t>cre were on the New Zealand station tho two cruisers, Leandcr and Achilles, of the New Zealand naval forces, two escort vessels, the Leith and Wellington, and tho surveying ship Endeavour, belonging to tlio Imperial Navy. During the latter days of August the Achilles, at the request of tho United Kingdom, was despatched for service, first in the Eastern Pacific and later in the South Atlantic, with the result all knew that she had taken part in the first cruiser engagement of the war. Tho imperial ships Leith and Wellington and the Endeavour were also sent at the Request of the Admiralty to serve on other stations, leaving tho Leander, tho flagship of the New Zealand Squadron, to operate in the waters surrounding New Zealand. Shortly before the outbreak of tho war the Leander left Auckland to convey the first reinforcements to Pacific island garrisons and since her return from that duty she had been employed in patrolling and searching for raiders or their bases around the coasts of the Dominion. In addition to the ships mentioned, New Zealand also possessed one trawler, the Wakukura, which was normally used principally for training the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. This little ship was fitted as a minesweeper, but, of course, one minesweeper was quite inadequate by herself, so the New Zealand Government had taken up three of the trawlers which fish from Auckland, the James Cogrove, Humphrey and Thomas Currcll.

They had been reconditioned and fitted up as minesweepers and were now in commission. After a period of training they had taken up their duty of searching the approaches to our ports for mines, which might have been laid or might be laid by the enemy. Other trawlers were also being fitted to act as minesweepers should the need arise.

“A further and most valuable reinforcement to New Zealand’s naval forces is under way in the shape of three small training vessels, not unlike trawlers, which are being specially built in Scotland and will be armed with four-inch guns and smaller weapons and equipped for minesweeping and anti-submarine work,” said Mr. Jones. “These three ships, which wiff be called the Moa, Kiwi and Tui, will, it is hoped, be ready for service in about 18 months and will prove a most valuable, efficient and up-to-date unit.”

The Minister said that in this early stage of development of our naval forces, there were, of course, few New Zealand-born officers serving in our ships, but as time went on the proportion of New Zealand to Imperial officers and men would steadily increase. In the meantime the complements of the seagoing ships bad been brought up to war strength by tho mobilisation of the officers and men of the New Zealand Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Officers and men of these reserve forces -were also serving in the minesweepers alongside personnel who had volunteered from the mercantile marine. There would be in the New Zealand Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve a considerable number of officers and men who would not be needed for manning of our own ships, and the Government had recently informed the Government in the United Kingdom that they would be placed at the disposal of the Admiralty for service in the Royal Navy whereever they might be required. The training of officers and men who had not yet been mobilised for actual service was being continued to the greatest possible extent. “Another very important item in the naval defence of the Empire and the protection of merchant shipping is the arming of merchant ships so they can act on their own defence when attacked by the enemy on the high seas,” said Mr. Jones. * ‘ The naval base at Auckland has up to date equipped no fewer than 20 ships with guns of four-inch or higher calibre and each of these ships has sailed from Auckland with a gun’s crew, the nucleus of which is formed by three of the young men of the New Zealand Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. These ships are now continuing to trade in distant parts of the world. This work of arming tho merchant ships and manning their guns is continuing steadily.

“It will be remembered the Doric Star was recently attacked by an enemy raider and her fate Is not yet knovtn. This was one of the ships provided with a gun and gun’s crew in New Zealand, so this means these three men were the first members of the New Zealand Naval Forces to be in action with the enemy

“All this work of fitting out and equipping ships has thrown tremendous strain upon the workmen employed at the base at Devonport and at the naval armament depot at Kauri Point. The work Ims proceeded smoothly and without a, JuJbfiJb’*