TROUBLE ON H.M.S. DUNEDIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22823, 6 March 1936, Page 8

TROUBLE ON H.M.S. DUNEDIN

GRIEVANCE AMONG . SEAMEN AN ADJUSTMENT EFFECTED (Per United Press Association) INVERCARGILL, March 5. Rumours that trouble had broken out on H.M.S. Dunedin, at present at Bluff, were circulated in Invercargill to-day. On inquiry it was learned that the seamen on duty resented the method of deciding which watch should take a certain duty. A " make or mend " competition, more in the nature of a race between the watches, was conducted. The winning watch was given shore leave and the loser was called upon to do a certain duty. This apparently did not meet with the approval of seamen, and when the time came to begin the watch they failed to report. This action, which amounted to disobedience of the ship's orders, was responsible for an inquiry. The grievances were ventilated and the matter was cleared up. In a statement to the press, Commodore Drummond said that there had been a little trouble with the seamen —a section of the crew—but that it all boiled down to disobedience of the ship's orders. Only the seamen were implicated. Some of them apparently had not approved of the method of deciding a watch. There had been a misunderstanding, and an inquiry had cleared it up. Asked if there was any truth in the rumour about the ship putting to sea immediately as a result of the incident, the commodore said " No." He added that the ship was carrying out its ordinary daily routine.