FLAG ETIQUETTE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18922, 25 January 1936, Page 14

FLAG ETIQUETTE

USE OF UNION JACK COMMON TO ALL SERVICES The flying of flags at half-mast on many flagpoles in mourning for the death of King George dra\v,s attention to the involved nature of the etiquette governing their use, says the Auckland Herald. So'far there has been no serious breach of this etiquette in the city, except that some business firms have neglected to haul down their flags at sunset. There is a belief in some quarters that the Union Jack is reserved exclusively for the flagstaffs of Government and public buildings, and also that the New Zealand Ensign is an appropriate flag to fly on the present occasion. That is not correct, however, for the Admiralty regulations state definitely that every British subject may properly fly "the Union Flag, or the Union Jack as it is commonly called, ashore. There-fore, the Union Jack, as the national flag common to the whole Empire in all services, is the only appropriate flag that should be flown at half-mast when the Empire mourns the death of its King. The New Zealand Ensign, which embodies the Union Jack with the Southern Cross on a blue ground, can be flown ashore by private citizens, but strict regulations apply to the use of other flags, most of which «in be flown only at sea. The White Ensign is flown at sea only by ships of the Royal Navy, the only other craft having the right being those belonging- to members of the Royal Yacht Squadron. The Blue Ensign may be flown only under warrant from the Admiralty, although the Royal New Zealand i'acht Squadron, and certain other . English • yacht squadrons, have the right to fly it afloat in conjunction with the squadron burgee. Registered yachts may fly the Red Ensign, but the use of the New Zealand R«d Jhisign is reserved to merchant vessels registered in the Dominion. Vessels belonging to the New Zealand Government have the sole right to fly the New Zealand Blue Ensign afloat. The finest flag in the Empire, and probably in the w ; orld, is tne Royal N Standard, which has been flown "by unauthorised persons in the past. The most exclusive flag in the Empire, it is the personal flag of His Majesty „ the King, and is flown only when he'* is present. At one time it was hoisted" on warships' on His Majesty's birthday, and also from Government buildings ashore, oir the same occasions, but both practices have been forbidden.