VERONICA'S RETURN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19780, 29 October 1927, Page 10

VERONICA'S RETURN.

FIVE MONTHS' CRUISE.

OCEAN OUTPOSTS VISITED.

MANY INTERESTING CALLS.

H.M.S. Veronica, which is under the command of Commander R. H. De Salis, returned yesterday afternoon from her fslands cruise. In the five months she has been away she has steamed 8400 miles, experiencing exceptionally good weather. She has been at many out-of-the-way islands and atolls, of which her company has happy memories. The Veronica sailed from Auckland on May 31 for Nukualofa, in Tonga, going thence to Vavau and Apia, then to Pago Pago, Niue, Rarotonga and Aitutaki, in the Cook Group. Next she went to Bora Bora, in Tahiti, and then to Papeete, where she met H.M.S. Dunedin ; which was on her way out from England. The Governor gave a ball fn honour of the visit of the ships and it was returned by an At Home on the Dunedin.

The sloop touched at Moorea, an island some 40 miles from Tahiti, and called at Flint Island an atoll " out of the blue," north-north-west of the Tahiti Group, where no warship had been for many years. Next came Penrhyn. where the pearl fisheries are, aDd afterwards Raka hanga, Manahiki, Pukapuka and Nassau, of the northern Cook Group. On none of these atolls is there more than one white man. The Diomede had been at Nassau, where the trader's wife was ill. After giving medical aid the ship had to sail, but asked the Veronica to go to the woman's assistance. Unfortunately she died before the sloop arrived. Returning to Pago Pago the ship's com pany received an extremely warm welcome from the American authorities. The Ontario, a small American warship, was in port, and Rugby and baseball matches were played between the sailors of the two navies.

Then the Veronica went to Apia, where in place of the Administrator of Western Samoa she picked up the chief medical officer and took him to the Union Group for the annual visitation. Atafu, Nukunono and Fakaofu were visited.

Returning to Apia the ship's company enjoyed the continued hospitality of the Administration, motor outings, games and dances being arranged for benefit.

The next call was at Savaii and a short bait was made at Niuafou, the island where the sea is usually too rough for the launching of a boat and where swimmers land and put off the mails. Back to Suva the ship stayed two weoks in port and then went north to Vitilevu for gunnerj' practice. Then she made Lautoka and afterwards spent 12 days in surveying part of a ship channel between a reef and the island of Mataki. She returned to Suva and thence returned to her base.

Hie health of the ship's company was excellent throughout and all on board are highly appreciative of the hospitality everywhere received.