Second of Series Of Minesweepers Safely Launched

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1941, Page 6

Second of Series Of Minesweepers Safely Launched

Press Assn.

Auckland, Sept; . 9.

A fortnight after the launchmg oi the minesweeper Hinau her sistership Rimu was sent dowri the slipway to-day after being christened with a bottle of New Zealand wine by Mrs. Parry, wife of Commodore W. E. Parry, chief of the naval staff. Like that of - the Hinau, it was a perfect launch, the stout steel and wooden vessel sliding slowly into the Waitemata, where she was picked up by a tug and towed to a fitting-out basin. There was a eprig of rimu at her bow and,' as the ship gathered speed down the greased ways, the New Zealand Ensign, the Union Jack and the White Ensign were broken out aboard amid cheers from the large crowd while the National Anthem was played.Commodore Parry congratulated all who were associated with the construction arid launching of the ship. He made a plea for the revival and expansion of the shipbuilding industry in New Zealand. Replacing Merchant Shipping. Not only would it be valuable to the navy, but it would help in the replacement of merchant: shipping after the war, he said, in referring to the difficulty that had been found in securing fcuilders for naval 6hips. Commodore Parry said it was a mystery to him why there were not more shipbuilding yards in New Zealand. In the old days there were . many yards which built wooden ships, but since steel construction became general the industry had to some extent languished. "If ever there was a country dependent for its life blood on ships it is New Zealand," he added, "yet for some reason shipowners needing ships have gone overseas." It had been suggested that this was largely because iron was not yet produced in New Zealand. The great advances made by the industry in Australia had been based on the steel industry, and to some extent the Commonwealth had the advantage there. He very much envied the ships Australia was building and wished New Zealand could do the same, but now a start was being made. The absence of a steel industry was not a real bar. Japan, for instance, was carrying out a huge programme of shipbuilding, yet she had no iron. He felt quite sure that this was an opportunity that ' would be taken. He would like to think that this ship and her two sister ships of composite construction marked the transition from wood to steel. Next Ships of Steel. The next mine-sweepers built would be of steel and would incorporate certain apparatus ' which could not be used in composite- ships. A steel ship could hold more than a composite vessel ,of the same size. Even then - we should not be cohtent. . Corvettes* and even destroyers were [ being bitilt in Australia! and we could ^0 with larger ships too. He felt sure the time was not far distant when we' would be btiildhig them. "Even if .. the .war ends to-niorrpw there will be a big demand for the repia'cement oif merchant Aosses," he . added. ''What a! fine . .thing it wpuld be if .New Zealand could build at least a part of . her . own requirements for the future." ... . Suppoirting Commodore. • Parry's remarks iri .his' address on behplf of the contractors, . Mr. E. H. :.Rhodes' said that many years ago shipbuilding was one of the main ihdustfies of the ,city. ,A flpet of fast . schooners, staunch barques and barquentines andsqo-feSters under ,sail and stepm operated from Auckland were built and* launched there; ,