UNREST ON WARSHIP

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17918, 24 October 1932, Page 5

UNREST ON WARSHIP

CjftEW OF THE AUSTRALIA OFFENCES AND SENTENCES SYDNEY, Obt. 13. It has, just bean, revealed that there was serious aurest ou board the Austru* hail cruiser H.M.A.S. Australia, on that vessel’s recent cruise if the Pacific, Not lcng before the cruiser reached Tulagi, iu the Solomon Group, some men were actually talking mutiny, but all is peivcelul once again now, with the discipline cf the Navy still iutact. Strict disciplinarian methods and salutary sentences appear to have been the cause of the trouble, but it is probable that some of the ratings made mountains out,of molehills wheneVer they had t<' submit, to unavoidable discomforts during Itwg periods between ports of call. There r.ay have been reports that the pay of the ratings was to be cut when the vessel returned to Sydney. Rumors to that effect had been circulated, and they were not officially denied until some time after the fleet returned to its base m Sydney. A point of difference was the com martial of a senior petty officer who was a. gunnery instructor. Charged with insolence to a youthful midshipman, ho was reduced to leading seaman and deprived of two good-conduct badges, lhe trouble arose during actual gunnery instruction. A petty officer "was corrected about an instruction he. had given and he replied that he was giving instruction when the midshipman was in the nursei>. Just before Tulagi was reached the officers and ratings were assembled. Captain Brady, saying that he had received an anonymous letter warning him that trouble was iikely, invited a frank statement of the discontent and unrest. ( hut none was given. However, accord- 1 iiig to the men, disciplinary methods be- 1 cable less severe, and a number of sen- j tences imposed for minor offences were remitted. ~ < . Among the matters for which seVerc sentences were inflicted were the exchange of belts “without permission” between two shipmates and the wearing of civilian socks on parade. Another offence for which leave was stopped for long, periods was coming on board in. a drunken condition,, but sentences for these! .breaches, were also .remitted after the general parade. When the vessel reached Sydney all on hoard were happy chce again.. *’. - -