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1933. N E W ZEA L A ND.

NEW ZEALAND NAVAL FORCES. REPORT OF THE COMMODORE COMMANDING THE NEW ZEALAND STATION FOR THE PERIOD 1st APRIL, 1932, TO 31st MARCH, 1933.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency the Governor General.

EEPOET.

The Honourable the Minister of Defence. Sμ:. H.M.S. "Dunedin," a> Uckland, Bth September, L 933. I have the honour to address to you the following report on the Naval Forces of the Dominion and the proceedings of the New Zealand Station during the year let April, 1932 to -'51st March, 1933 :— I. State. The New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy on the 31e1 March. 1933, consisted of H.M.S. " Diomede " (wearing the broad pendant of the Commodore Commanding New Zealand Station), H.M.S. " Dunodin," Ii.M.S. " Philomel," non-seagoing training and depol ship at Devonport, Auckland H.M.S. " Wakakura " (trawler), and R.F.A. " Nucula." the squadron oiler. 2. H.M. Ships "Veronica" and "Laburnum," maintained at the expense of the Imperial Government, are also employed on the New Zealand Station under the orders of the Commodore < '(Mini ding. 11. Personnel (Active Service). 3. On the 17th April, 1932, I assumed command of the New Zealand Station, and took over the duties of First .Naval Member of the Naval Board, in succession to Rear-Admiral Geoffrey Blake, C.8., D.S.O. H.M.S. " Dunedin" was recommissioned at Chatham on the 26th May, 1932, by Captain .Martin .1. C. de Meric, M.Y.0.. Royal Navy. Paymaster Commander Richard F. Durman, Royal Navy, relieved Paymaster Commander John T. Y. Webster, D.5.0., Royal Navy, as Secretary to the Commodore Commanding, and Naval Secretary to the Naval Board, in May, 1932. 4. On the concluding date of this repent there were 460 ratings on the active list who had been recruited in New Zealand, and twenty-six ex-Imperial ratings who had been accepted for permanent service in the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. The ships' companies were completed by 452 ratings loaned from the Imperial Service. Petty Officer George R. Davis-Goff was appointed Warrant Officer on the 11th July, 1932, being the first .New Zealand rating to lie promoted to that rank. 5. Recruiting during the year was satisfactory, and the candidates entered included 43 boys for the Seaman and Communications Branches, 1 Engine-room artificer and 10 stokers, and II ratings for miscellaneous branches, making a total of 65. Twenty-two New Zealand ratings were discharged during the year. 6. The entry of ratings has been restricted for some time to the bare numbers necessary to keep the complements of the ships and establishments complete, no margin being allowed for special courses of instruction, or for ratings being attached to the Imperial Service in order to obtain the wider experience so desirable from the point of view of efficiency, and also that of the men's own future. Proposals for improving the position are under consideration. 7. The health and discipline of the ships' companies have been satisfactory. 111. Personnel, Royal Naval Reserve (N.Z.D.). 8. The Royal Naval Reserve is composed in the main of officers and ratings who have served their time on the Active List, and those who follow the sea as their profession in the mercantile marine and undertake to -perform naval training during peace. The strength of this Reserve on the 31st March, 1933, was as follows : Officers, 5 ; men, 233. The establishment of officers of the Royal Naval Reserve is still far from complete, but the conditions of training have been modified with the view to facilitating entry, and the new arrangements are already under trial.