DENIED ADMITTANCE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 26, 10 November 1936, Page 10

DENIED ADMITTANCE.

BLUEJACKETS AT CABARET. A AVELLINGTON INCIDENT. (Per Press Association.j AVELLINGTON, November 9. An unusual situation arose in a city cabaret to-night when between 25 and 30 ratings from H.M.S. Achilles protested at being refused admittance. When a party of seamen in uniform arrived at the hall they were told that they could not be'admitted because of their uniforms. A r oicing their grievance the men drew attention to the presence on the dance floor of other members of the ship’s company who were lower deck ratings, though they wore uniforms other than the Jack Tar blouse and bell-bottom trousers. Nowhere else, they said, had such a distinction been made. In fact, in London they were allowed admittance to the best night clubs, where they had co pay as much as 18s, and' in Auckland no ban had been placed on their presence in public cabarets. AA r hen the cabaret’s rule had been explained to the seamen, they departed after envious glances at their more fortunate shipmates. Explaining the position, the manager of the cabaret made it clear that it was no reflection on the character of the men that they were turned away. It was merely the uniforms they were wearing. It was the policy not to admit Jack Tars in uniform, although an exception was made in the caso of petty officers and others in distinctive uniforms. This was not a new custom, but had been observed whenever the warships visited AVellington. The same position applied! in most of the cabarets in Sydney.