END OF N.Z. CRUISE

Southland Times, Issue 23180, 22 April 1937, Page 5

END OF N.Z. CRUISE

Australian Naval Squadron RETURN TRIP ACROSS TASMAN (Special to The Times) AUCKLAND, April 21. With the precision and efficiency characteristic of the Royal Navy the ships of the Australian Squadron left Auckland this morning at the conclusion of their highly successful New Zealand cruise. The visiting warships adhered meticulously to the programme for their departure. There were the usual farewell scenes and then, with guards mounted on the quarterdecks, and with the bands .of the cruisers playing lively tunes, the visiting ships singly, and in pairs, slipped down Waitemata Harbour on their way to Hauraki Gulf. Shore leave for the Australian ratings ended early this morning and, long before the city was at work, there was an ordered bustle on all the ships of the squadron as they prepared for sea. Steam was being raised and smoke curled lazily from the funnels of the warships to blend with the early morning fog which covered the harbour. The first ships to leave were H.M. Australian destroyers Vendetta and Waterhen. Punctually at 9.30 o’clock their lines were taken on board. As soon as H.M.A.S. Canberra had moved out into the stream shortly after ten o’clock she dispensed with the ministrations of the tug and turned slowly to steam down the harbour. H.M.A.S. Australia was in readiness and moved off behind the flagship. The music of the bands could still be heard as the two grey cruisers swept down past North Head, and then turned into Rangitoto Channel on their way to the Gulf. Shortly after the departure of the Australian Squadron H.M.S. Achilles, flagship of Rear-Admiral the Hon. E. R. Drummond, left her berth at the Devonport Base to proceed to the Gulf. A series of range-finding, gunnery and torpedo exercises was held during the day and the visiting warships finally met at an appointed rendezvous at. four o’clock this afternoon, and sailed on their return trip across the Tasman.