WARSHIPS' MOVEMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20978, 15 September 1931, Page 10

WARSHIPS' MOVEMENTS.

DIOMEDE'S COMING CRUISE. DETAILS OF THE ITINERARY. RECOMMISSIONING THE SLOOPS. Details of 1 lie southern cruise of 11.M.5. Diomede, flagship of iho New Zealand Squadron, have now been completed. The cruiser, which is to visit a large number of southern ports in the course of a voyage which will extend until the. beginning of December, will sail from Auckland on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 29. The Diomede is due at Wellington on the morning of October 1 and will le.avo that port on the afternoon of October 6 for the west, coast of the South Island. She will reach Milford Sound on October 8, and will then visit George Sound, Doubtful Inlet, Dusky Sound and Preservation Inlet, where two days will bo spent. The vessel is due at Bluff on October 12, and will leave again on October 15 for Duncdin, where she is scheduled to arrive the following day. After six days at Duncdin the Diomede will arrivo at Oainaru on October 22, leaving again on October 24. She is due at. Timaru the samo day and will remain thero until October 29, when she will sail for Lyttelton, arriving tho samo day. Tho cruiser will bo at Lyttelton until November 16, then visiting Akaroa for a week. She is to reach Wellington for tho second time on November 24, remaining in port for two days. During that period her oil bunkers will be replenished. On the northward voyage tho ports of call are:—Napier, which will bo visited from November 27 to December 2, and Port Fitzroy, Great Barrier Island, where the Diomede will be a visitor between December 3 and December 9. During her stay at tho Great Barrier she will carry out exercises in the Hauraki Gulf in co-operation with the sloops Laburnum and Veronica. Aircraft from tho Hobsonville base will tako part in the manoeuvres. Tho cruiser is duo back at Auckland on December 9. Tho slocp Laburnum, which returned to Auckland at the conclusion of her Pacific cruise on Thursday, will remain in port refitting until she is recommissioned at the beginning of November. The Veronica is duo at Auckland at the end of October after her Pacific voyages and the crews of both ships will be paid off. Tho relieving men are due on November 2. The crews who are to bo paid off will leave Auckland on November 7, so that they will be back in England in time to celebrate Christmas at Home. So far as is known, no officers on the Veronica are to be relieved. The commander of tho Laburnum, Commander R. C. Ilotham, is to be relieved by Commander 11. Ramsbotham, and Lieutenant J. R. Westmacott, the navigating officer, by Lieutenant H. G. A. Lewis. The Admiralty oil tanker Nucula, which has discharged "her oil cargo, is to enter the dock when the City of Kimberley is undocked, which is expected to take place early this morning. The Nucula is duo to sail to-morrow for San Francisco for loading. She will then visit Sydney on the return voyage with oil fuel for the Australian Navy prior to returning to Auckland. The cruiser Dunedin, which_ has been refitting in England, and will bo recommissioned before returning to New Zealand, is due at Auckland on May 1.