H—s

Work was also carried out on H.M.A.S. " Australia," H.M. Submarine " Telemachus," and " Francis Gamier " (French frigate). 41. General Work. —The normal routine maintenance of Dockyard buildings, installations, and plant was carried out, together with the manufacture, survey, and repair of various items of naval stores. 42. Work for Other Government Departments and Private Firms. —Apart from ship work, this amounted to £27,000 for some 255 jobs for Government Departments and 74 jobs valued at £5,000 mostly at the request of the Auckland Industrial Development Laboratories. The major items in this category being fabricated spans for railway bridges, the commencement of the creosoting plant for the New Zealand Forest Service, and extensive electrical work in rewinding armatures and testing equipment. This work is on a reduced scale to the previous year, due to the much increased naval commitments, which must take precedence. 43. Special Work.— Direction-finding calibration facilities have been provided for both H/F D/F and M/F D/F by the fitting of suitable equipment in the Yard tugs, which are used as calibration vessels. Erection of radar ranging marks in the Hauraki Gulf, together with suitable towers, has been investigated. Yard craft " Endeavour " completed an extensive dumping programme of over 4,000 tons of unserviceable explosive stores. Several new machine tools have been installed, the largest being a Churchill heavy-duty plane-grinder. A 400 kW. generator has also been installed in No. 1 substation as part of the equipment required to inrprove the electrical installation of the Dockyard. 44. Naval Apprentices. —Four E.R.A. apprentices were entered in January, 1950 ; one E.A. apprentice, ex-R.N., was also entered. The total number of naval apprentices is now 13, comprising 1 shipwright, 3 electrical, and 9 E.R.A.s. The results of the basic bench training given to these apprentices was shown to advantage by the display of their work during Navy Week-end and was the subject of much favourable comment. 45. Oil-fuel Installations. —Naval oil-tanks are, under agreement, being used to store furnace and Diesel fuel oil for the British Petroleum Co. of New Zealand, Ltd., and the Department's oil-barge is used to deliver fuel as required. 46. Stores. —The storage of the various items of naval, armament, and other stores required by the R.N.Z.N. is satisfactory 'and adequate stocks to cover the increased number of vessels in commission are held. G. T. MILLETT, Naval Secretary and Member, New Zealand Naval Board. 11. Lovegrove, Second Naval Member, New Zealand Naval Board. Geo. W. G. Simpson, First Naval Member, New Zealand Naval Board.

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