FLAG LORE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 18 June 1932, Page 2

FLAG LORE

> (To the Editor) Sir, —I was very interested ill an article in Wednesday’s “Mail” re “Flag Lore.” , The paragraph headed “White Ensign” states that the New Zealand being the Southern Cross, etc., in_ the fly. For instance it may be seen on the Government steamer “Matai.” Correct. But further down it states : “It may also he- seen on the jack staffs of the sloops Laburnum and Veronica.” That is wrong. The sloops mentioned are Imperial ships, lent to the New Zealand Government, and they fly the Pilot Jack, i.e., (Union Jack with the border), while the cruisers Dunedin and Diomede (the respective personnels paid by tile New Zealand Government at a rate higher than the Imperial men’s wages) fly .the Blue Ensign owing to the fact that their upkeep is paid by the New Zealand Government. Of course all ships in New Zealand waters are all “Royal Navy.” The sloops mentioned above really should base at Suva, Fiji, tlieir duty being to police the South Sea islands. But the facilities being inadequate at Fiji they base at Auckland. The Blue Ensign is flown by merchant vessels whose captains and a certain number of the crew belong to tile R.N. Reserve. The present Union Jack is comprised of 3 Heraldic Crosses: —The cross of St.Andrews, forming the blue and white bases, upon which lies the red and white cross of St. Patrick, and upon the whole rests the red and white cross of St. George dividing the flag vertically and horizontally. The original Union Jack combined only the St. George and St. Andrew crosses, and was adopted 'on the accession of James the VI., of Scotland to the throne of England under the title of James 1., in 1603. No further alteration was made in the flag until January 1801, when the Irish Parliament was dissolved, and the Act of Union came into force. Hence the name Union Jack.—l am etc., S. A. SIMMONDS, Late R.N. Nelson, 18th June.