Agar held a number of seagoing commands between the wars. His first, in June 1920 was as executive officer aboard , a 5,400 ton light cruiser assigned to the newly formed New Zealand Naval Forces, later known as the New Zealand Division (then still part of the Royal Navy). In 1922 he was given command of , an obsolete cruiser of 2,575 tons used as a training ship for the New Zealand Division. These were very happy years for Agar, in a friendly country with interesting work and regular cruises through the South Seas.