8/6/2019 HMAS Australia Welcome Speech

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The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848-1954), Wednesday 17 October 1928, page 10

National Library of Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3963282

H.M.A.S. AUSTRALIA.INSPECTED BY ME. BEUCE.

""Nation's Safety and Honour."(DY OUR SPECIAL JlEPORTEIt.)

BUI&BAN13, Tiiesduv -The new cimserAustralia!was inspected for the first timetodaybv the Prime Minister (Ml Biuce)and the "Minister for Defence (Sir WilliamGlasgow) Before the inspection n formalcall nas pud on the Primo Minister andtho Ministci for Defence bj Rear AdmualHjde, and this was returned laterAt midday "\Ir Bruce lunched with the

officers on board the cruiser, anil later addressed the oflicers and crow On behalfof the Gov ornment and people of AustraliaMr Bruce welcomed the men back to theirown countrj, and congratulated them ontheir admnablc conduct and belling whenever they had shown the Australia flagin foreign waters

"You belong," said Mr Bruce, "to aservice which has been intimately associatcd with the destinies of our race Nonation in the world can boast the recoid andtiaditions which j ou possess We arcnatunllj pioud lo have au independentAustiahan Navj, but wo aie even prouderstill to bo joint heirs lo all the gieat tudillons of the British Navv 1\c hivebeen tried md tested in the smoke of battle,and destiny moj unhappil decree that webe tried tig un If my enemy decided totome acimut us he must come ntioss the.?ea, and if we are to keep om countrjfrto we must bo prepared to meet lum onthe sea lou men of this joung andgrowing Australian Navj have the gleitlesponsibihty of setting the standird bvwhich our countrj in its hour of pen! shalluse 01 fall Let your justifiable pridein this new and wondciful cruiser be thebasis of jour pride in the whole AustialnnNavj Let the enthusiasm with whichyou hive contiibuted towards its mngmficent cruise be maintained in all that j oudo in the future If jon do that wo canlook to j ou nth confidence, knowing thatin join keeping our nation's safetv andhonour phill not suffer "

Heat Vclmiril Iljdo earned to Mi Brucen letter fiom tho Pi uno Minister of "NewZealand (Air Coites), iu which Air Coatesc\piessed ippicciation of the visit of thecruisu to Wellington 'I nm, I thinkexpressing the genet ii view," bud MiCoates, in stiting tint the vessel is oneof winch tho Austiahan Navj and theCommonwealth Government niaj well bopi oud The conduct of the ship's companjin New Zealand wis exemplary, and it Insbeen a gi cat pelasuic to intct Heal Admiralii j de and Ins oflicers '