H.—s

H.M.S. " Diomede." 29. On Ist April, 1934, H.M.S. " Diomede" (Captain C. M. Graham, A.D.C., Royal Navy) was at Wellington, where the ship's company was carrying out the annual musketry course at Trentham Camp. 30. " Diomede " sailed from Wellington on the 4th April, and visited Akaroa, limaru, and Queen Charlotte Sound before returning to Wellington on the 23rd April. The following day the ship sailed for Auckland and arrived there on the 28th April, having spent two days in the Hauraki Gulf en route in order to carry out gunnery and torpedo exercises. 31. At Auckland " Diomede " was docked, stored, &c., preparatory to the annual cruise to the Pacific Islands. . . 32. On the 30th June " Diomede " sailed for the Pacific Islands, and visited Norfolk Island, Vila, Espiritu Santo Islands, Hog Harbour, Funafuti, Rotumah, Suva, and Nukualofa before returning to Auckland on the 10th August. 33. From the 10th August until the sth February, 1935, " Diomede " was in company with " Dunedin," except for a visit to Lyttelton from the 12th to 17th November while " Dunedin " was visiting Dunedin. 34. " Diomede " was docked at Auckland in January, 1935, and, having carried out gunnery and torpedo exercises in the Hauraki Gulf from the sth to 7tli Febiuary, sailed on the latter date for the autumn cruise to New Zealand ports. The ship visited Gisborne, Wellington, Queen Charlotte Sound, Lyttelton, Akaroa, Dunedin, and the AVest Coast Sounds before returning to Wellington on the Bth March to enable the ship's company to carry out the annual musketry training at Trentham. 35. A guard of honour, provided by H.M. Ships " Diomede " and Leith, was mounted on Glasgow Wharf for His Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, on his departure from New Zealand on the 15th March. YI. Proceedings (H.M. Sloops). 36. H.M.S. "Laburnum" (Commander A. H. Maxwell-Hyslop, A.M., Royal Navy) was at Auckland on the Ist April, 1934. The ship paid off and recommissioned on the 11th April. 37. " Laburnum " sailed on the 13th June for a cruise in the Pacific Islands, visiting Pago Pago, Apia, the Tokelau Islands, Vavau, Nukualofa, Suva, and various ports and anchorages in the Fiji group before returning to Auckland on the 4th September. She cruised "in New Zealand waters from November to January. " Laburnum" sailed for Singapore on the 11th February, 1935, to pay off and become the Straits Settlements Naval Volunteer Reserve drill-ship, after thirteen years continuous service on the New Zealand Station. HM g a Le - th „ (Q aptain q Bevir, Royal Navy) arrived at Auckland from England on the 14th November, 1934, as relief for H.M.S. " Veronica." The ship visited New Zealand ports from December to March, 1935. VII. H.M.S. " Philomel." 39. H.M.S. "Philomel" (Commander B. C. B. Brooke, Royal Navy) continues to act as training and depot ship at Devonport, Auckland. VIII. H.M.S. " Wakakura." 40. H.M.S. "Wakakura" (Commissioned Gunner A. Garden, Royal Navy) has been employed almost continuously in training officers and men of the Auckland, Wellington, 'Canterbury, and Otago Divisions of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. IX. R.F.A. " Nucula." 41. R.F.A. " Nucula " (Mr. G. A. Atwood, Master) was in commission from 3rd April, 1934 to 9th January, 1935, and made three voyages to Abadan, Persian Gulf, for the purpose of replenishing stocks of oil fuel. The vessel also fuelled H.M.S. " Dunedin " at Bora Bora and H.M.S. " Diomede " at Suva and supplied 1,200 tons of fuel to the Royal Australian Navy at Sydney. X. Naval Base. 42 Large repairs to H.M.S. " Dunedin ' were carried out, and the other ships of the Squadron underwent periodical dockings and minor repairs. Plans are being prepared to modernize the Naval Base and to provide the necessary plant and equipment to undertake the periodical refits of the larger ships which are expected to arrive on the station m the course of the next two years. By arrangement with the Admiralty, two Imperial dockyard officers viz., a Constructor and a Deputy Naval Store Officer-—have been appointed for duty at the Naval Base.

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