BROADWAY LIGHT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20009, 7 August 1939, Page 5

BROADWAY LIGHT

AUSTRALIAN SAILORS CRUISER’S CREW ASHORE MUTINY TALE REFUTED BLUE-UNIFORM PERMIT (Elee. Tol. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Aug:’7, 9 a.m.) NEW YORK, Aug. 6. The visiting Australian sailors sav the bright lights of Broadway las. night when the bulk of the personne. of 635 men of the cruiser H.M.AJ,. Perth were given shore leave. Some joined the 103,911 visitors athe World' Fair, but the majorit. mingled with the thousands whici nightly mill in Times Square, Broadway, enjoying “America’s greater. free show.” The visitors aroused interest as i' was the first time since 1928 tha. Australian sailors had been seen ii. New York. The ratings were given free tickets to the fair and also leading cinemas including the Radio City Music ' Hall, the world’s larges, theatre. Official calls by naval, army and civil authorities were exchanged during the day. The Mayor of Nev, York, Mr. F. H. La Guardia, was out of town and’ Captain Farncomib was received! at the City Hall by Commissioner Stanley Howe, Mr. La Guardia’s executive secretary.

The Perth is to leave for the Panama Canal zone on August 16.

Incident Magnified

An incident aboard the Perth, was. magnified' by the popular press to the extent that the Sunday News to-day carries bold headings reading “Aussies mutiny. Officers too British.” - The true facts are that when' the cruiser arrived, although blue uniforms are permitted in Australia,. the men were ordered to wear white for shore leave. The men objected because the white uniforms soil quickly and they would be 'hard to wash as there is no space on the cruiser’s decks to hang them out. to dry. Having the uniforms laundered ashore was declared too expensive.

The men’s objections were conveyed through the commander to. Captain Farncomb. He agreed that the order be changed and the men permitted to wear blue uniforms and white caps. * Objections Suggested

However, some newspapers refer to tile “delegation waiting on the captain,” and, according to the Sunday News, the incident was precipitated by the objection of the men to the excessive drilling, poor food and the officers’ “martinet stuff.” Ah unnamed tar is quoted as saying: “Our officers are being too blenky limey. They are trying to enforce the kihd of discipline they do in British ships. They seem to forget that we are Australians and not Britishers.”

This and similar dialogue as well as the charges aroused amusement aboard the Perth. There was annoyance, however,, at the further false statement that 200 men returned 1 late from the first night’s leave.

It is 1 explained that there has not been a single absentee. It is admitted' that the men have been working hard, 'because of the hurried 1 commissioning of the ship, but all were given full leave. Owing to the congested state of the dockyards, ’ the commissioning of the vessel was rushed through at such a speed that there was only time to clean the port side of the ship for her rechristening by the Duchess of Kent. This was the only side she saw. Australian Officers The Australian officers outnumber the English by 20 to 13. The English officers are all paying their first visit to Australia. Captain, Farneomb is the 'first Australian - commissioned captain. The ratings include 112 young Australians who are at sea for the first time.

The sJkip is : still in the process of shaking down, but already a healthy esprit de corps exists. The uniform situation arose because, until she reaches Australian waters, ( the cruiser is under direct Admiralty control. At present she is operating under the West Indies station, an order of which prescribes white uniforms for landing at foreign, ports.