VERONICA AND LABURNUM

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1928, Page 7

VERONICA AND LABURNUM

CRUISE AMONG THE ISLANDS. AUCKLAND, October 20. Like her twin sister, the Veroncia, H.M. sloop Laburnum (Commander Attwood) has just returned to port from her annual cruise among the Pacific Islands. She coveted just on 10,000 miles, while the Veronica’s log showed between 8000 and 9000 miles. Both ships left Auckland on June 5, and the Veroncia returned to port yesterday and the Laburnum this morn-

During her long cruise, the Laburnum went as far as Malden Island, away up in about 4.30 degrees south, not a great way , from the Equator, whence New Zealand used to get a good deal of guano, but to-day the island is quite deserted, except for a few domestic animals, such as pigs, fowls, and a solitary cat, which remained behind when the workmen left. The reason for the abandonment was the higher cost of shipping the guano. After calling at Suva, the sloop went to Samoa, and then to Pukapuka, and on to Danger Island, Manahiki, and Nukonono, in the Tokelau group, north of Samoa, one of the distant British outposts in the Pacific. The return to Apia was followed by a run to Pago Pago, where the Americans were mos 1 hospitable. It was after visiting Pago Pago that the Laburnum went on her long journey to Malden Island* I hence she went on to Flint Island, one of Lever Brothers’ leased islands, where copra for soapmaking is grown by a small community of Tahitians. Papeete, the capital of the Societ> Islands, a French possession, was next visited. Hervey Island, with its only white man, and Atiu, a tiny island, wore next touched at, and the only other island in the Cook Group that was visited was Rarotonga, where four days were spent. Thence the sloop went back .to Pago Pago, and from there she went on to Wallis Island, and then hack to'Suva.