THREAT OF MUTINY DENIED

Evening Star, Issue 25634, 7 November 1945, Page 5

THREAT OF MUTINY DENIED

STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER (Rec. 12.15 p.m.) CANBERRA, November 7. Mr Chifley denied that there had ever been any threat of mutiny from '•by the Esperance Bay from Australia to Batavia. The escorting destroyer. Arunta had never been called for by the master of the Esperance Bay. Mr Chifley issued this statement after two long conferences yesterday afternoon and night with the Acting Minister of External Affairs, Mr Makin. and officials' of the department.' If the Indonesians had taken arms aboard, the arms were with the baggage in the hold, to which they did not have access, he added. Unwarranted criticism and irresponsible statements had .obscured the objective which the Australian Government had achieved'— the transfer of Indonesians out of Australia to their own territory. " This difficult movement has now been completed successfully and without incident," he said. " I have been kept informed regarding the movement from the outset. At no stage was there any danger either to the ship or Allied personnel, as all the necessary precautions were taken. There is no evidence of arms being taken on board, but it is reasonable to suspect that there might have been small arms of no real consequence included among the baggage. No search was made at Brisbane or Darwin, as it was not thought desirable to provoke these men, who were returning voluntarily and < were cooperating with the authorities. As insurance against trouble, arrangements were made before the liner left Brisbane for a destroyer to accompany the Esperance Bay out of Darwin. There was no question of the master having to call for the assistance of the Arunta while en route to Koepang. The 100 military and 50 naval guards who were embarked at Koepang and marine guards already aboard provided all the, necessary protection on the way to^Batavia."