U.S. SOLDIERS’ BRIDES

Grey River Argus, 15 February 1946, Page 7

U.S. SOLDIERS’ BRIDES

TRANSPORT TROUBLES IN AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, February 14. The ban prohibiting New Zealand brides of American servicemen going ashore from the Monterey in Sydney has been further relaxed to permit those who have no relations here to obtain daily leave passes from 9 a.m. till 6 p.m. A number of the brides are ignoring the order, after finding that they have little trouble in getting off the ship. The ban on over-night leave for girls without relations here is not regarded kindly. To-morrow 210 Sydney brides will go aboard, and instructions are that they cannot leave the ship after boarding it. A meeting of 500 brides of American servicemen broke up in disorder in Brisbane when members demanded a public protest against delays in transport to the United States. . A large section dissociated itself with any suggestion that the United States authorities had not do.ne ali in their power to facilitate transport.

CRANKY ALLEGATIONS. AGAINST HON. MR. CALWELL. (Rec. 7.40.) MELBOURNE, Feb. 14. The Minister of Immigration, Hon. Mr. Calwell, states that applications for passports for the Women Guides Organisation to go to Malaya have not as was yesterday alleged in a Press Association telegram from Sydnev to Now Zealand, been refused. Miss M. E. Attwater, Naiv South Wales, Chairman of the Australian Guides’ International Service Committee, accused Hon. Mr. Calwell of refusing passports, and at the same time she expressed annoyance because he had not replied to her accusation. “How does she know that passports have been refused, until she has been told so?” said Hon. Mr. Calwell. “I_ think that she must have been over-excited by the recent heat wave.” The Minister said that the existing restrictions on the issue of passports would not be relaxed until the British wives and children and the fiancees of the Australian servicemen have been brought to Australia, and the Australian wives and children and fiancees of American servicemen have left.