ISLANDS CRUISE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 134, 8 June 1937, Page 7

ISLANDS CRUISE

NEW ZEALAND WARSHIPS [Pet Prtii Asaocladon) AUCKLAND, June 7. Bound first for Suva, where she I* to embark the High Commissioner fol the Western Pacific, Sir Arthur Rich ards, the Imperial patrol sloop Leitl left Devonport naval base this morning to make her annual winter cruise of the South Pacific Islands. The ship will be away from Auckland for about three months and will visit some nine island groups. During her last winter cruise to the Pacific, the Leith paid a special visit to the Phoenix Group and took possession of five of the islands and last December she left on a special service mission whose destination was kept an official secret, but this winter’s cruise is entirely a routine matter and the only extraordinary duty to be undertaken is the conveyance of Sir Arthur Richards for the first inspection of the islands under hi! jurisdiction since he assumed office last year. He will visit the New Hebrides, Solomons, Nauru, and Ocean Islands, Gilbert and Ellis Islands, and Rotumah and will be on tyoard the Leith for a little over a month. On Saturday, the flagship of th< New Zealand division. H.M.S. Achilles, will leave Auckland for her winter cruise to the islands, this being 1h« first time she has been away frorr New Zealand since she joined the station last year. The cruiser will go a: far as Honolulu and Fanning Island and will return on August 27 in time for the arrival of the new cruiser Leander from England.