Ships and commissioned shore establishments of the
Royal New Zealand Navy fly the New Zealand White Ensign. This flag has the
Union Jack in the first quarter, on a white background. The Southern Cross,
represented by four five-pointed red stars, appears in the fly.
Until 1968 New Zealand naval ships flew the Royal
Navy’s White Ensign.
The New Zealand White
Ensign is usually flown only during daylight hours, but in the event of war
it would be flown continuously.
The 'New Zealand White Ensign Regulations 1968' provide that
:
"The ensign shall comply with the description of the New Zealand
Ensign, as set out in the notice by the Minister of Marine published in the
Gazette on the 24th day of June 1902..., save that the lower canton of the
hoist and the fly thereof shall be white and the Southern Cross on the fly
shall be represented by red stars as in the New Zealand ensign increased by
the width of the white borders to the stars in that ensign."
