AUSTRALIAN NAVY

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1932, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN NAVY

UNREST AMONG THE RATINGS.

MASS MEETINGS TO BE HELD

’ Australia a, Press Association.)

MELBOURNE, November 9,

The ships of the Australian Navy left Melbourne at 0 a.m. to-day; and are now eu route to Jervis Bay and Sydney. The dissatisfied ratings are mostly on the cruiser “Australia.” They went aboard on the understanding that there is to be no intimadation or victimisation, but they made it dpa.r that further mass meetings will be held upon their arrival at Sydney, when they expected that their , grievances in regard to pay would be redressed.

CONSIDERATION IN THE HOUSE

DEFENCE MINISTER’S OPINION

CANBERRA, November 9

The Minister of Defence, Sir George Pearce, in the Senate, directed attention to the unrest in the Australian naval ships. He declared that the Government possessed information re-p-.nrding at attempt to create dissatisfaction in the Navy by false propaganda. He stated he had received what had been termed an “ultimatum” that if the demands were not conceded, the men would refuse duty. He had also received a picture which indicated that the men are on the verge of mutiny. A very cunningly-directed campaign sought the use of their known grievances as a. means of seducing the men on the fleet. Senator Pearce added that it was advisable that the people of Australia should know “of this dastardly plot to create dissatisfaction in that arm of our defence on which the safety of the country depends.”