H.M.S. DIOMEDE

Hokitika Guardian, 14 November 1932, Page 7

H.M.S. DIOMEDE

TO REFIT IN NEW ZEALAND

ESTIMATED COST OF £35,000.

AUCKLAND, November 11

Arrangements are being made for the Diomede, the flagship of the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy to undergo her biennial refit at Auckland next year, instead of her returning to England. This will represent a considerable saving, and will also provide employment for a number of local tradesmen. The cruisers of the Royal Navy undergo a refit every two years, with v an extended refit every seven yeans. The biennial or short refit, is by no means as complete as the extended refit, which, to all intents and purposes, is responsible for the production of new and up-to-date fighting ship. The Diomede had her last extended refit at Chatham in 1930, when she was absent from the Dominion for about 14 months. The short refit, however, is ail exhaustive form, of naval spfing-cieaiiing, ahd in the case of a cruiser of the Diomede’s class the' costs in England are about £35,000. The carrying out of the refit in Auckland will obviate the expense of sending the flagship to England and back, and the naval authorities are satisfied that the work can be satisfactorily performed locally. The exact sum to be spent on the work will not be known until the estimates are placed before Parliament next year. A certnin amount of work will he done by the. naval ratings, but shore labour will also be required, and it is possible that this will be arranged on a contract system. However, an important point is ( that complete charge of work will be spent locally and should prove of material assistance to trade generally.