DUTCH NAVAL VISIT

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1930, Page 5

DUTCH NAVAL VISIT

A TOKEN OF FRIENDSHIP

WELLINGTON, October 15

Nearly 300 years after New Zealand was first placed on an ocean chart by the Dutch Navigator Abel Tasman, the East Indies Squadron of the Royal Netherlands Navy is making a tour of Australia and New Zealand, and is due at Wellington on Friday morning. The present visit is in the nature Of a courtesy call from Holland in token of the friendship that' has existed between the two nations for centuries. The squadron comprises the cruiser Java, which is the flagship of RearAdmiral C. C. Ivnyser, Commander-in-Chief of the squadron ; and two destroyers, Evensteen and de Ruyter. The Java has a displacement of nearly 8000 tons, and has. all the trimness of a modern warship. The cruiser was designed in Germany, and the two destroyers in England. In addition to Rear-Admiral Knvser, the executive officers of the squadron will be Captain J. tie Graaf, Commander of the Java Lieut-Commnnder (first class) A. G. van tier Sarnie Lacoyte. .Commander of the Eversten; and Lieut-Commander (first class) van Leemven, Commander of the de Ruyteer, Commander P. Post Uitenveer i istlio chief staff, officer of 474 ratings in the flagship. More than 200 are Javanese or boys from Amlioina. The natives receive half the amount of pay of the Dutch sailors, but many of them have not gained the rank of petty officers. All the officers speak English. It is one of the qualifications of officers in the Netherlands navy that they must learn English, French, German and Spanish. The squadron will be at Wellington from 8 a.m. on Friday, when a salute will be fired off Point Jerninghnm by the flagship, until Tuesday, when the