CRUISER ACHILLES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22975, 1 March 1938, Page 8

CRUISER ACHILLES

MELBOUBNE VISIT RECEPTION TO OFFICERS J RESCUE OF SEAPLANE CREW WARMTH ADDED TO WELCOME [from our owy cohbesponoent] MELBOURNE, Feb. 21 The necessity for close co-operation >t\veon Australia find Now Zealand was nphasised by speakers at a civic re■ption accorded to Rear-Admiral the on. E. R. Dcummond, commodore >mmanding the Jiiew Zealand division : the Royal Navy, and officers of Achilles. Additional warmth was ven to the proceedings because H.M.S. chilles had rescued the crew of a nail naval aeroplane which had been mating in the ?eA .33 miles east of abo Island, as a result of a mishap iring the naval manoeuvres. The seaplane, which was of the Seaill Y type, had been catapulted from i..M.A.S. Sydney. An hour later a jreless message from the aeroplane, hieh had a crew of three, intimated lat it would have to make a forced ,nding. The exercises were suspended hile 10 warships of the Royal Austrian Navy and the New Zealand divion of the Royal Navy, assisted by airaft, joined in a search for the aeroane. Discovery by Searchlight With searchlights playing across the ater the Achilles found the aeroplane fc 8 p.m. Later the men and the aerolane were taken on board the Sydney. In welcoming the New Zealanders, ae Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Mr. . Campbell, expressed appreciation of le part played by the Achilles and ie Leanaer —which visited Melbourne irlier in the month —in the mausuvres, which were designed to show jo best method of protecting trade jutes in the event of war. Endorsing the welcome on behalf of Kb Federal Ministry, the Minister of nde and Customs, the Hon. T. W. Phite. who Hew from New Zealand to iistralia in the Centaurus last month, lid that the two countries, as close eighbours, needed all the co-operation naginable. United States Warship Mr. White extended his welcome to lclude the commander of the United tates warship Lousville, Captain R. V. Mathewson, and his men, who had ndeared themselves so much to Australia in the recent heroic rescues in vclney Ha.rbou.tV It seemed characsristic that the Achilles had also parpipated in the search jror the seaplane, cm H.M.A.S. Sydney. ■Rear-Admiral Brummond said that ie defence problems of Australia and few Zealand —two isolated Dominions -were very similar, and those two ountries would have to stand or fall tgether. What was particularly apppeiuted by himself and the officers of hi? Achilles was the entertainment exeuded in Melbourne to the ship's coinany. People were apt to forget the ower ratings of a visiting warship, but ie, vas glatf that that haa not been the :as« in Melbourne. IR jar-Admiral Druiomond said that,, irhil* the (officers of the Achilles were English,, 50 per dent of the crew were few Zealanaers, and the aim was to lave the ship's complement 100 per rent New Zealanaers. The recent trade )rotection exercjSes off the southsasteivi coast of/ Australia hatf given 'Xcellent opportunity for the New Zealand cruisers to work in co-operation with the Australian Navy.