LEITH'S CRUISE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 134, 8 June 1937, Page 7

LEITH'S CRUISE

DEPARTURE FOR SUVA VISITS TO NINE GROUPS ■ -(By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 7. Bound first for Suva, where she if to embark the High Commissioner for the" Western Pacific, Sir Arthur Richards, the Imperial patrol sjoop Leitri left Devonport Naval Base this morning to make her annual winter cruisa of the South Pacific Islands. The ship will be away irom Auckland for about three months, and will visit some nine island groups. . During her last winter cruise to tha Pacific, H.M.S. Leith paid a special visit to the Fhoenirf- Group and took possession of five of the islands. Last December she left on a special service mission the destination of which was kept an official secret, but this winter's cruise is entirely a routine matter, and the only extraordinary duty to be undertaken is the conveyance of-Sir Arthur Richards for his first inspection of the islands under his jurisdiction since he assumed office last year He will visit the New Hebrides, Solomons, Nauru, and Ocean Island, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, and Rotumah, and will be on board the Leith a little over a month. On Saturday the flagship of the New Zealand Division, H.M.S. Achilles, will leave Auckland for her winter cruise to the Islands, this being the first time she has been, away from New Zealand since she joined the station last year. The cruiser will go as far as Honolulu and Fanning Island, and will return on August 27 in time for the arrival of the new cruiser Leander from England.