NO UNION JACKS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20504, 4 January 1935, Page 8

NO UNION JACKS.

Yachtsmen Can Only Fly Red Ensign. WELCOME TO WARSHIP. Yachtsmen who propose to take part in welcoming H.M.A.S. Australia to Lyttelton next Sunday will have to mind their p’s and q’s as far as flags are concerned. Naval men are highly critical of the way in which flags and pennants are flown on private craft, and are not slow to point out glaring mistakes. For example, it is absolutely forbidden to fly the Union JTack on a pri-vately-owned vessel, this emblem of Empire being reserved for warships and vessels carrying highly-placed military officers paying official calls. Likewise, the New Zealand Ensign cannot be flown from a yacht or commercial vessel.

The correct arrangement for flags on yachts and motor launches was detailed this morning by a naval expert. The only national flag permissible, he said, was the red ensign, the symbol of British commercial shipping throughout the world. For New Zealand vessels, it is similar to the British flag, with the addition of the four stars of the Southern Cross. This should be flown at the peak on yachts and on the ensign staff at the stern of motor launches. Club flags should be flown at the- masthead on both launches and yachts, thus making both flags easy to see and keeping them well apart. There is even a right and wrong way to decorate small craft by dressing them with flags from bow to stern. Any signal bunting can be used, but a definite proportion of square flags and pennants should be hoisted, such as, for instance, two square flags to one pennant.

One other point made by the naval man was the need for correctly marshalling the welcoming craft by dividing them into two lines, with an appointed leader at the head of each line. He said that clear instructions should be given as to the movements of each line, so that when the visiting warship passes through, each line of welcoming craft will present an orderly .appearance and will be in such a position that none of them will interfere with the movements of the Australia. It is permissible for the lines to disperse immediately the warship has passed, and for the vessels to follow her up the harbour in their own way.