NAVAL SQUADRON

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11664, 31 October 1923, Page 8

NAVAL SQUADRON

HEW ZEALAND VISIT WILL ALL VESSELS COME TO WELLINGTON ? DEFENCE MINISTER'S VIEWS. A cablegram published in the “Times” gave the impression that all the .-hips of the naval Bcjuadron would not visit Wellington during April and May of next year, but oidy the two battle-cruisers. It was staled in the message that after visiting African, Asiatic, and Australian ports, the light cruisers would ©pend a week at Lyttelton, from May Ist, and that the battlecruisers would stay olereti days at Wellington from April 27tli. When tho matter was mentioned to the Minister for Defence (the Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes) he (stated that the Government was still in communication with tho Imperial authorities regarding the movements of the ships of the squadron. “It is t'lie hope of all the members of Cabinet that we dial] see all tho ships in Wellington,” declared tho Minister. The ships of the First Light Cruiser Squadron, .which it is stated will take part in the world cruise are: Delhi, Danae, Dauntless, and Dragon. They will be accompanied by the battle-cruis-ers Hood and Reputed. The Dunedin, which aTso belongs to the same squadron, may not trie part in the cruise, as she will probably be handed over to the New Zealand Government to replace the Chatham as the flagship of the commodore commanding the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. The Dunedin is to bo renamed New Zealand.