AUSTRALIANS REFUSE TO SAIL IN WAIMANA.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1785, 3 November 1919, Page 7

AUSTRALIANS REFUSE TO SAIL IN WAIMANA.

CABINS OVERCROWDED AND INFESTED WITH RATS. (A. & N.Z.) (Bee. November 3, 10.45 a.m.) LONDON, October 31. A number of Australian troops and their wives refused to proceed in the Waimana from Tilbury, owing to the alleged faulty accommodation and other arrangements. ' They assert that they found the cabins overcrowded and infested with rats. It was necessary to suspend the infants' cots in inaccessible parts of the cabins, where there was scarcely room to move. One infant had a toe bitten by a rat. There was no proper water supply in the women's section. Bathing accommodation, both for men and women was lacking. Water, leaking through the roof, soaked a number of the bunks. The men also complained of faulty arrangements. Prior to the ship's departure the women and children were exposed in the rain for an hour at the dock and for two hours aboard the tender. Some were awake all night, practically without foood. A combined protest was made to Colonel James, Officer Commanding the Troops Abroad, who agreed to allow dissatisfied persons to quit the ship, offering a special train and accommodation in London. One hundred and twenty accepted, but there was no train, nor accommodation in London provided. There were about 500 men aboard,* 400 women, and 100 children under three. A number of men visited Sir Atidrew Fisher, High Commissioner, to-day and made a detailed complaint. An official inquiry is proceeding, and a - Headquarters statement will be issued without delay. It is announced that the Board of Trade passed the "Waimana. MONASH ORDERS WITHDRAWAL OP PASSENGERS. (A. & N.Z.) (Eec. November 3, 11.20 a.m.) LONDON, October 31. The passengers arrived aboard the "Waimana in a miserable condition. The officer commanding the troops interviewed General Monash at midnight on Wednesday and conveyed the ' complaint of overcrowding. General Monash immediately decided that 33 per cent, should be disembarked, which was done. He then sent an efficient Board of Survey, who reported that the complaints were justified. The ship was not in a suitable condition for the voyage, even with the reduced complement. She was not fit to take second-class passengers at all. General Monash therefore to-day ordered the withdrawal of all the passengers, and is endeavouring to bring the ship to the wharf side. He is also providing adequate shore accommodation for the passengers, pending the allotment of a, future steamer. WOMEN AND CHILDREN HAVE LONG WAIT IN RAIN. (A. & N.Z.) (Eec. November 3, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, October 31. General Monash, after receiving a deputation from the "Waimana, explained that she was a long time fitting for the second-class passengers—mostly non-commissioned and warrant officers and their families, who had been retained in England for demobilisation duties. The Australian inspection officers passed the ship as suitable, but when the passengers arrived aboard they immediately complained. It was a crying shame that the ship could not be taken alongside the wharf. "Women with infants in arms, and also expectant mothers, had a long wait in thcr rain. The launch accommodation was inadequate. The authorities.were powerless to remedy this, because insufficient launches were available.