ANDES MEN’S GRIEVANCES

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 October 1945, Page 4

ANDES MEN’S GRIEVANCES

STATEMENT AT WELLINGTON WELLINGTON, October 24. Boos, ironic cheers, and confused shouting of more or less personal remarks, accompanied by a few eggs, greeted the official party on the Janie Seddon, meeting the Andes on arrival at Wellington. One or two aboard protested by calling out “Cut it out, you fellows.” However, no damage was done to anybody. The official party included Mr Nash and Mr Jones, and the demonstration was to express disapproval at the length of the passage from Australia. “Twenty-three days to Australia, then four and a-half to get to New Zealand,” said one of the men, disgustedly. “Its a good job for the wharfies there was none on the wharf yesterday. We would have thrown them into the drink.” “Welcome home to New Zealand, but never mind the men who have been fighting for them.” Addressing the men, Mr Nash said it was just impossible to alter the arrangements originally made for the ship’s arrival. “I am sorry if anybody has been caused any inconvenience,’ he said. Army repatriated prisoners of war stated they had been forced to do fatigues round the ship, while comparable Air Force ranks, who had not been prisoners, did not tackle them. “We are supposed to be repatriated men and be treated like civilians travelling,” said a New Zealand Sergeant, “but our boys did all the fatigues, cook-house duties, washing down of mess tables, and things like that. When we got on board, the ship was dirty and even the plates had not been washed. Being in the minority, we had to turn to and take it. It wasn’t until near the end of the voyage that the Air Force N.C.O.’s had to turn to and work. Our boys did all the dirty work on board, and the excuse given was that there were so many Air Force officers on board that they were short of other ranks to do fatigues. They had Army Sergeants working in the cookhouse dishing out grub all the time. They tried to smooth us over by giving us extra money doing fatigues, but it still stinks.”

MR. SULLIVAN'S^ DISCLAIMER CHRISTCHURCH, October 24. When a few eggs descended from the upper deck of the troopship Andes to the wharf, as the official party came ashore yesterday, none of them landed in the vicinity of Mr Sullivan, for the very good reason that Mr Sullivan had already left the wharf. Mr Sullivan came ashore from the Andes before the remainder of the official party, and when the egg incident occurred, the Minister of Supply was then sitting in the Ministerial car at the end of the jetty.—