AMERICAN NAVY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25673, 23 October 1944, Page 4

AMERICAN NAVY

AUCKLAND BASE VACATED BRIEF CLOSING CEREMONY (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Oct. 22. The United States naval operating base at Auckland was closed to-day, and its headquarters encampment at Mechanics Bay was virtually vacated. The only officers and enlisted men of the navy still on duty in New Zealand are a few communicatipns personnel and several other specialists. Thus the first American service to establish 'itself in New Zealand early in 1942 has been the first to finish its operations.

A small decommissioning ceremony was held at Mechanics Bay. At 9 a.m. the commandant of the base, Commander J. L. Robertson, and his officers and men assembled before the flagstaff and saluted the American flag as it was lowered for the last time. The United States Consul in Auckland, Mr Hiram A. Boucher, and Sir Ernest Davis attended the ceremony.

The base is to be used by the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Royal New Zealand Air Force as combined headquarters, taking the place of the present establishment at the Teachers Training College at Epsom. The educational authorities have not yet been informed when the college will be available to them.

Several claims arising out of injury to persons and damage to property are among the matters which the navy was not able to complete. These wul ,be handled by the Marine Corps Depot. There are no complete records of payments made to New Zealanders by the Foreign Claims Commissions which have operated in Auckland since the Americans first came to the city. It is estimated, however, that at least £1,000,000 has been paid by the United States Treasury to claimants for compensation for injury or damage.