H.—s

On the following day the " Dunedin " left Wellington for Dunedin in order to be at that port for the opening of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition. A naval guard of honour was provided for His Excellency the Governor-General at the opening ceremony, and a small naval exhibit, which seems to have proved of considerable interest to visitors, was provided at the Exhibition. On leaving Dunedin on the 27th November, 1925, the ship proceeded to Lyttelton for a few days, and thence to Auckland, where exercises were carried out in the Hauraki Gulf prior to entering the harbour for the purpose of giving Christmas leave to officers and men. During February, 1926, H.M.S. "Dunedin" carried out exercises in the vicinity of Auckland with H.M.S. " Diomede," and during March these vessels exercised with the Australian Squadron, as stated in paragraph vi. On the 25th March, the two New Zealand cruisers left for a cruise to visit the principal ports of the Dominion. 11. Proceedings of H.M.S. " Diomede." On the 21st October, 1925, H.M.S. " Diomede " was commissioned at Portsmouth for service with the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, her Commanding Officer being Captain J. S. M. Ritchie, R.N. (a native of Dunedin, New Zealand). This cruiser had recently returned to England after commission on the China Station, and was brought fully up to date by the Imperial authorities before leaving England for the Dominion. On the 17th November, 1925, the ship was visited by Earl Jellicoe of Scapa, lately GovernorGeneral of this Dominion, who addressed the ship's company prior to their departure. The visit was very much appreciated by all on board. On the 20th November the Hon. Sir James Allen, G.0.M.G., K.C.8., High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, and Rear-Admiral Alan Hotham, C.8., C.M.G., lately the Commodore Commanding the New Zealand Station, also visited the ship, and the former addressed the ship's company. On the 21st November the " Diomede " sailed from Portsmouth and proceeded to the Dominion, calling at Bermuda and Jamaica, passing through Panama Canal, then calling at San Pedro (California), Honolulu, Hawaii, and Suva. The ship arrived at Auckland on the 21st January, 1926. At San Pedro, at the end of December, 1925, the " Diomede " met various ships of the United States Fleet which had visited New Zealand during August. Both officers and men were most hospitably entertained by the United States naval and other officials. Christmas Day was spent at sea between San Pedro and Honolulu. At Hawaii a visit was paid to the monument to Captain Cook at Kaawaloa, and some small defects were made good. On the arrival of H.M.S. " Diomede " at Auckland arrangements were made for transfer of certain petty officers and men, with a view to an equal number of New-Zealanders serving in each of the seagoing cruisers of the New Zealand Division. In February and March, 1926, H.M.S. " Diomede " carried out exercises in the Hauraki Gulf and the vicinity of Auckland, in the first instance with H.M.S. " Dunedin," and subsequently with the ships of the Australian Squadron. She left Auckland on the 25th March for visits to New Zealand ports, including Russell, Lyttelton, Dunedin, Wellington, and Nelson. 111. H.M.S. "Philomel." H.M.S. " Philomel " has continued her duties as training-ship and depot-ship at Auckland. The training of recruits is carried out entirely to my satisfaction, and reflects credit on all concerned. It is proposed during the coming year to provide further appliances, and thus to improve the training of newly entered stoker ratings. Further portions of the machinery of H.M.S. " Philomel " have been removed as opportunity offered. The ship is now connected to the shore system of lighting, and considerable economy will thereby be effected. Commander F. N. Miles, 0.8. E., R.N., was relieved in the command of " Philomel " in January, 1926, by Commander F. C. Bradley, R.N. IV. H.M. Sloops " Laburnum " and " Veronica." H.M.S. " Laburnum " left Auckland on the 22nd May, 1925, to visit the islands on the western portion of the station. She called at Suva, Ocean Island, Tarawa, the smaller islands of the Gilbert and Ellice Groups, Wakaya, Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Lautoka, and Nukualofa, returning to Auckland on the 6th October, 1925. Towards the end of November, 1925, trouble arose at Ocean Island between Chinese and Gilbert Island labourers, which rendered the presence of a man-of-war desirable to assist the Civil authorities in dealing with the situation. In response to a request from the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, H.M.S. " Laburnum " was despatched from Auckland on the 3rd December, arriving at Ocean Island on the 13th of that month. On the request of the Resident Commissioner, an armed party was landed from H.M.S. " Laburnum " to assisf the Civil authorities in their search for smuggled arms, and to enable them to effect the arrest of the ringleaders of the disturbance, who were conveyed to Suva in H.M.S. " Laburnum." During the absence of the ship, which returned to Suva in order to coal and disembark the ringleaders, an armed guard was left behind on the island for some weeks. On the return of

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