Royal New Zealand Naval Association Inc.

Piping Hot - this expression had its orgins in the way food was collected from the ship's galley for the mess after a 'pipe' was sounded. The sooner it was collected after the 'pipe' the hotter it was.

Swinging the Lead - an expression that describes the act of wasting time. It comes from the task aboard ship of dropping a sounding weight (made of lead) over the bows to determine the depth of water. It was seen as a way to avoid the more ardous tasks involved in bringing a ship into harbour.