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1932. NEW ZEALAND.

NEW ZEALAND NAVAL FORCES. REPORT OF THE COMMODORE COMMANDING THE NEW ZEALAND STATION FOR THE PERIOD 1st APRIL, 1931, TO 31st MARCH, 1932.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency the Governor-General.

REPORT.

The Hon. the Minister of Defence, Wellington. H.M.S. " Diomede," at Wellington, 13th April, 1932. I have the honour to address to you the following report on the Naval Forces of the Dominion and the proceedings on the New Zealand Station during the year Ist April, 1931, to 31st March, 1932. I. State. The New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, on the 31st March, 1932, consisted of H.M.S. " Diomede " (wearing the broad pendant of the Commodore Commanding New Zealand Station), H.M.S. " Dunedin," at present in England completing large repairs, H.M.S. " Philomel," non-seagoing depot ship and training establishment at Devonport, Auckland, H.M. Trawler " Wakakura'" and R.F.A. " Nucula," the Squadron Oiler. 2. H.M. Ships " Veronica" and " Laburnum," maintained at the expense of the Imperial Government, are also employed on the New Zealand Station under the orders of the Commodore Commanding, 11. Personnel. On the 2nd April I received intimation from the Admiralty of my promotion to the rank of Rear-Admiral, but in accordance with arrangements previously made between the Imperial and New Zealand Governments, I continued in command of the New Zealand Station without alteration of rank or emoluments. 2. Mr. George A. Atwood, First Officer of R.F.A. " Nucula," superseded Lieutenant Arthur W. Beardsall, R.N.R. (N.Z.) as Master of R.F.A. " Nucula " on the 13th July, 1931. 3. It was decided to send Lieutenant H. A. Haynes, Royal Navy (Retired), Armament Supply Officer, Devonport, to England on the 29th September, 1931, to undergo a course of instruction in the United Kingdom to fit him for the duties of Inspector of Naval Ordnance in New Zealand in addition to his usual duties. Lieutenant Haynes will return to New Zealand in H.M.S. " Dunedin." _ 4. On the Ist November, 1931, relief ratings for H.M. Sloops " Veronica " and " Laburnum " arrived at Auckland and the sloops were recommissioned on the 2nd November for further service on the station. On the same date Commander R. Ramsbotham, Royal Navy, relieved Commander Charles E. Hotham, D.S.C., Royal Navy, in command of H.M.S. " Laburnum." Periodic changes of other officers in both ships also took place. 5. Captain Colin Sinclair Thomson, Royal Navy, superseded Captain John S. G. Fraser, D.5.0., Royal Navy, on the 25th February, 1932, as Second Naval Member of the Naval Board. 6. On the concluding day of this report there were 420 ratings on the active list who had been recruited in New Zealand; of these, 330 were serving in ships of the New Zealand Division on the Station and ninety in Home waters undergoing courses, standing by H.M.S. " Dunedin," and serving in ships of the Imperial Navy whilst awaiting the return of H.M.S. " Dunedin." Apart from the above, forty Imperial officers and 220 Imperial ratings are on loan serving in New Zealand Division ships. This number will tend to decrease year by year as recruiting in New Zealand increases and the seniority of existing New Zealand ratings advances. 7. In anticipation of normal requirements recruiting has been continued during the year, and the following entries have been made : Twenty seaman boys on 15th May, 1931 ; ten seaman'boys on 16th September, 1931 ; thirteen seaman bovs on 15th January, 1932 ; and eight stokers on 18th February, 1932.