NEW ZEALAND NAVY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 230, 30 September 1942, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND NAVY

LATEST ADDITION BUILT AT AUCKLAND YESTERDAY’S LAUNCHING (P.A.) Auckland, Sept. 29. The first fighting vessel built in a New Zealand shipyard was launched to-day with impressive ceremony. Christened in the traditional manner by Miss Pat Coates, daughter of the Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister of Armed Forces and War Co-ordination, the vessel slid into the sunlit waters a picture of trim efficiency. Prior to the launching the keel of a similar vessel was laid, and still another is well on towards completion on the stocks. The vessel is of the Fairmile type and wiil join the Royal New Zealand Navy for activities off the New Zealand coast. It is 100 feet long and is engined with two petrol motors, each of 600 n.p. No steel was used in the vessels frame of bakelised plywood, made in England, and the hull of New Zealand timber. It was constructed entirely by New Zealand workmen, employed by Associated Boatbuilders, Limited. The main contractor, Mr. Roy Lidgard, said to-day that, although the standard time for the production ol these vessels is given as 40,000 working hours, this was built in 30,000 working hours. Present at the ceremony were representatives of the lighting services and local bodies. The speakers were Mr. Coates, the chairman of the Harbour Board (Mr. Henry Luke), and the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. J. A. C. A!’urn). ‘ Her job wiil be to sort out and destroy underwater vessels,” said Mr. Coates, speaking for the Government at the launching. Mr. Coates said we had men in this country capable and competent and with the will to turn out work that would compare favourably with that done anywhere. The adverse factors oi our small size and lack of equipment could act as a spur to all of us in the task of war production. It was a most important job, as supply was the key to the ultimate defeat of the enemy? He urged New Zealanders to give thought to the danger that threatened. It was no time to allow political or personal feeling to intericre with our task. The little vessel that now rode on the Auckland harbour must be the symbol of our determination. With her launching another bar was placed in the enemy’s way. “Split up, we can’t do it. together wp can. We will not be defeated. We will defeat the enemy and we will destroy him,” concluded Mr. Coates.