CELEBRATED TOO WELL

Chronicle (Levin), 9 April 1946, Page 5

CELEBRATED TOO WELL

Press Assn.-

War Brides' Call At Suva MISBEHAVIOUR ALLEGATIQNS

By Telegraph

- Copyright

Received Monday, 8.20 p.m. SAN FRANCISCO, April 8. The liner Lurline nas arrived with 853 war brides and children from New Zealand and Australia. According to the brides, tbe army and the navy throughout the trip both enforced strict discipline . and strove to outdo each other in making things tough. A member of tne crew who has travelled on several brides' ships, said he thought the discipline had been carried too far. The girls were constantiy summoned to atteiid some assembly or other. The brides said that all were de lighted that the journey was linished. Tne food and accommodation had been good, but for most of the trip the sea was too rough for most to eat. The dalay at Suva caused the Lurline to arrive at Honolulu on the heels of the tidal wave. The sick bay was full almost throughout the trip. The Red Cross aides aboard bad been most heipful, but there had not been enough of them tq cope with the sickness toli that left the mothers powerless to care for their children. The less affected brides drew up a roster to help the Red Cross girls. The brides' sufferings were increased by smallpox injections One bride was particularly bitter about the treatment the New Zealand- i ers received, and pointed out that tne ; New Zealand contingent embarked at 1 Auckland and, except for one day when | they were taken out for a brief escort- j ed trip around the city, more or iess ' under guard, they were kept aboard ! while tbe ship was in Sydney. The brides said they expected shore j leave at ports of caii in tbe paciiic. Tbe liurline stayed in Suva for tenj bours and tbe brides were given five | bours' leave, but no leave was granted j at Honolulu. A bula-hula show and j otber entertaipjaents, bowever, were I provided at the Honolulu wharf. 1 One Queensland bride said there j might be a reason for the girls being j detained aboard at Honolulu. She andj otber brides said that a number oi ! j tbeir lellow passengers wbo went ' 1 ashore at Suva celebrated too well and I returned to tbe sbi^ most troublesome. i She added that sbe and other girls had 1 been tborougbly ashamed of tbe be- 1 haviour of quite a number of the brides j at Suva. Stewards and other members of the i crew substantiated the criticism of the j brides' behaviour at Suva and declared! that tbe trip bad been one of tbe most difficult they bad experienced.