NAVAL DIVISION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21876, 11 August 1934, Page 13

NAVAL DIVISION

WARSHIPS' MOVEMENTS

RETURN OF THE DIOMEDE PACIFIC ISLANDS CRUISE PROGRAMMES FOR SLOOPS With the band playing and a guard of Royal Marines mounted on the quar-ter-deck, H.M.S. Diomede, commanded by Captain Cosmo Graham, returned to Auckland yesterday after a six weeks' cruise to the islands of the Western Pacific. The trip was mainly uneventful, although several out-of-the-way islands were visited. Owing ,to the fact that the cruiser's departure from Auckland was delayed by a defect m her port propeller tail shaft the itinerary for the cruise had to be curtailed to soma extent. The ports visited by the Diomede were Norfolk Island, Vila, in the New Hebrides, Hog Harbour, Funafuti, Potumah, Suva and Nukualofa, the cruiser leaving the last-named port last Tuesday. There was no exceptionally rough weather, 'although a fair amount of rain was experienced. The three most interesting places visited were Hog Harbour, Funafuti and Potumah, all of which arc very largely out of touch with civilisation. To the few white residents the arrival of the cruiser was nil event of considerable importance. In the bush above Hog Harbour head-hunters still live a wild and warlike life, although they ; cause no trouble to the handful of European inhabitants. Two parties from the cruiser made expeditions inland to visit some of the native villages. Boxing at Suva i| Various sports contests we're arranged at Suva and Nukualofa. Boxing matches were a feature of the visit to Suva, the Diomede's representatives winning all their -bouts. At Nukualofa Captain Graham paid an official call on Queen Salote. Various exercises were carried out on the trip and tho day after leaving Nukualofa the Diomede carried out a fulPpower trial for two hours, attaining a speed of 28 knots. The repairs to her tail-shaft stood up to the test admirably. Gunnery practice was also carried out in the Hauraki Gulf yesterday, morning, a target being lowered for a 6in. sub-calibre shoot. This consists of firing with small tubes inside the 6in. guns. The target was lftter hoisted on board before the Diomede entered port, coming alongside the flagship, H.M.S. Dunedin, punctually at noon.

Both cruisers will now remain in port until September 3, when they will leave together for the Hauraki Gulf to carry out gunnery practices. They will return to port on September 14, leaving again on September 17 for Australia to represent the Dominion at the Melbourne centenary celebrations. Their programmes for the Australian visit were published in the Hkbald on Wednesday. They will return to Auckland on November 20 and, apart from visiting Wellington in December to provide an escort for the Duke of Gloucester on his arrival in H.M.A.S. Australia, will make an extended • stay inport. ,

Laburnum's Final Cruise The -Imperial sloop, H.M.S. Laburnum, commanded by Commander A. H. Maxwell-Hyslop, is due back at Auckland from her Islands cruise on September 4 and will remain at the Devonport naval base until November 5. Sbe will then leave on her final cruise to New Zealand ports, as she is to be replaced next year by the new sloop, H.M.S. Wellington. The Laburnum's programme for her southern cruise is as follows:—Tauranga, November 6 to 12; Picton, November 15 to 21; Wanganui, November 22 to 26; Nelson, November 27 to December 4; New Plymouth, December 4 to 14; Wellington, December 15 to January 5; Gisborne, January 7 to 14; return to Auckland, January 15. v She will then prepare to sail for England, where she will probably meet with the same fate as her sister ship, H.M.S. Veronica, and be broken tip. Neither the date of her departure nor of the arrival of the Wellington has yet been announced.

Minor alterations have been made to the programme of the new sloop, H.M.S. Leith, commanded by Captain Oliver Bevir, which will arrive in Auckland from England on November 14 and leave on a New Zealand cruise on November 26. The new programme provides for a longer .stay in Wellington, from December 15 to January 5, and from then on her amended programme is as follows:—Picton, January 5 to 8; Oamaru, January 9 to 14; Akaroa, January 14 to IS; Lyttelton, January 18 to 21; Dunedin, January 22 to 28; Bluff, January 29 to February 4; West Coast sounds, February* 5 to 11; Russell, February 14 to 21; return to Auckland, February 22.