H.-5.

IV. Personnel, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (N.Z.D.). 9. The officers and men of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, who are not necessarily professional seamen, receive instruction at their Divisional Headquarters, and embark for annual training in H.M.B. " Wakakura " or in one of the cruisers. The numbers borne on the 31s1 March. 1933, were as follows : Officers —List I, 61 : List 11, 17. Men—List I, 576 ; List 11, 381. 10. H.M.S. " Wakakura " lias been employed during the greater part of the year in training the personnel of the Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago Divisions in seamanship, minesweeping, and gunnery. The training has been carried out with enthusiasm, and with very satisfactory results. Financial considerations have precluded the provision of the second mine-sweeping vessel recommended liy my predecessor in his report for 1931-32, and the training of the Reserve is much handicapped by the consequent lack of adequate facilities for mine-sweeping demonstration and for the training of officers in navigation, &c. It is considered that the provision of a second vessel should not be farther deferred. Schemes for the reorganization of the signal and telegraphist branches of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve were approved during the year, and are in process of consolidation. The seagoing training of these two classes of eatings is carried out on board the cruisers, and the standard of efficiency is eteadily improving. 1 inspected all R.N.V.R. Divisions at their headquarters during the year, and was much impressed with their high standard of efficiency. The keenness of the officers and men is well maintained. The accommodation and facilities at the headquarters of the Otago Division arc not satisfactory, and it is desirable thai the alterations proposed at the time the building was purchased in 1930 should be taken in hand as early as practicable, or, alternatively, that the headquarters should be transferred bo more suitable premises. V. Proceedings (Cruisers of N.Z. Division). H.M.S. " Diomede." 11. On the Ist April, 1932, H.M.S. " Diomede " was at Picton, and from there proceeded via Powerful Bay to Wellington, where she arrived on the 9th April. The ship's company then carried out their annual musketry training at Trentham Camp. H.M.S. ,'" Diomede " sailed for Auckland on the 30th April, exercises being carried out with aircraft from Hobsonville during the passage into Hauraki Gulf. The ship remained at Auckland from the 2nd May to 27th June for the purposes of docking, refitting, and granting the usual leave. On the 28th June "Diomede" sailed for a cruise in the Pacific Islands, anti-aircraft practice being carried oui at a Fairey lIIf machine from Hobsonville while passing through the Hauraki Gulf. Visit- were made to Nukualofa, Rarotonga, Papeete, Raiatea, lima Bora, Pago Pago, Apia. Suva, and Lautoka. At Nukualofa I was received in audience by Her Majesty the Queen of Tonga. The Bishop of Polynesia, who wished to take the opportunity of visiting his diocese, embarked on the 7th July, and remained with us until our arrival at Suva. At Papeete, the French Administrator for- the northern group of islands embarked at my invitation and accompanied us to Raiatea, where he has his headquarteis. At Bora Bora H.M.S. " Dunedin " rejoined my Hag after being absent from the station since February, 1931, and at Lautoka H.M. Ships "Veronica" and "Laburnum" were already present. " Diomede returned to Auckland on the 26th August. The period 13th to 20th September , was devoted to gunnery and torpedo practices in the Hauraki Gulf with " Dunedin" in company. The two cruisers sailed for the South Island cruise on the 3rd October, carrying out high-angle firings al a towed target, and other gunnery and strategical exercises, before parting company on the following day. " Diomede arrived at Wellington on the sth October, where she remained two days, and then visited New Plymouth, Bluff, Dunedin, Timaru, and Lyttelton. I carried out my annual inspection of the ship during this period. "Diomede" then returned to Wellington, where I disembarked for duty at the Navy Office, rejoining the ship at Auckland on the 6th December. Tire half-yearly list of promotions was received on the Ist January, and contained information that Commander V. A. C. Crutchley, V.C., D.S.C., Royal Navy, had been promoted to Captain, and Lieutenant-Commander A. W. Clarke, Royal Navy, to Commander-. The period 3rd to 16th January was spent in Omaha and Kawau Bays, the ship's company being landed for field training and accommodated under canvas. The Permanent Air Force co-operated in the field exercises, and the officers and men concerned derived considerable benefit from the operations. " Diomede " returned to Auckland on the 16th January, when the two cruisers held their annual aquatic sports, and competed in pulling and sailing races which the Committee of the Auckland Anniversary Regatta had kindly arranged for Service whalers. From the Bth to 1 5th February "Diomede" and "Dunedin" were again in the Hauraki Gulf, the time being devoted to gunnery, torpedo, and general exercises, in which the Permanent Air Force co-operated. These exercises afforded most valuable training. The two cruisers sailed for their autumn cruise on the 21st February, the annual sailing regatta being held at Russell and the annual pulling regatta at Whangaroa.

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