NAVAL CREWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 June 1939, Page 5

NAVAL CREWS

REBUKED BY MINISTERS AT AUCKLAND GOVERNMENT’S POSITION. NOT TO BE INFLUENCED BY THREATS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 21. As a direct result of the meeting held by New Zealand naval ratings on Monday to express dissatisfaction with rates of pay, the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, and the Minister of Marine, Mr Fraser, made a special visit to Auckland today to address the ship’s companies of the Leander, the Achilles, and the Philomel. The Ministers defined the Government's attitude to the position which had arisen, and rebuked those men who held the meeting on Monday. They were accompanied from Wellington by the Commodore Commanding the New Zealand Squadron. Commodore Rivett-Carnac, and by Captain Parry, commanding the Achilles, Commander McClintock, chief executive officer in the Leander, and PaymasterCommander Davis, also of the Leander. These officers left Auckland on Monday to discuss the men’s action with the Government. In their addresses to the men, who included many who did not attend Monday’s meeting, both Ministers said that representations in respect to pay and allowances had already been forwarded to the Government through the commodore and officers, before some of the ratings decided to hold their meeting. These representations, said the Ministers, •nad received careful and sympathetic consideration, and, as a result, the Government had reached a decision to increase allowances to wives and families of ratings. “This decision,” said Mr Fraser, “was placed in jeopardy as a result of the action of a section of the men in meeting together and formulating certain demands as threats.” In spite of this unfortunate occurrence, however, the Government had approved of the proposals submitted by the Minister of Defence. These had been framed before the men held their meeting, and would prove of considerable benefit to married men. Both Ministers made it clear to the men that, while the Government would not be influenced in the slightest degree by any threatening demands or actions, it was prepared at all times to give sympathetic consideration to representations forwarded in the usual way. The men were also informed of an announcement by the Prime Minister, Mr Savage, that inquiries were being made into the pay and allowances of the men. This investigation, said the Ministers, would proceed as expeditiously as possible. In the event of any unavoidable delay,’ endeavours would be made to have any increases, decided upon as a result of the inquiry, made retrospective in the customary way. Mr Jones announced later that it had been decided to make an adjustment of pay agreed upon retrospective to June 1. This would, be the date from which the new scale of allowances for wives and families would operate. The Ministers did not receive any representations from the men during their visit. They also discussed the men’s action with Commodore RivettCarnac and other officers. They lunched on board the Leander and returned to the city early in the afternoon. At night Mr Fraser left for Taumarunui and Mr Jones for Wellington. REFUSAL OF DUTY SAID TO HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED BY MEN. NO DECISION REACHED, AUCKLAND, June 21, The threats referred to by the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, and the Minister of Marine, Mr Fraser, while addressing ratings at the Devonport Naval Base are stated to have concerned discussions by the men on future courses of action if the representations sent forward from Monday’s meeting failed. One suggestion, which was freely advocated, was that all New Zealanders in the Achilles should refuse duty when called upon to take the cruiser out on July’ 6 for a cruise to Pacific Island ports. The Governor-General, Lord Galway, is to make this cruise. The second suggestion was that similar action should be taken by New Zealanders in the Leander, which was originally due to leave Auckland on Tuesday for a series of calls at Pacific island ports. Her sailing date has new been moved forward to Monday. Both these suggestions were canvassed among the ratings before- Monday’s meeting, and were also mentioned there. However, no decision on these lines was arrived at by the meeting, and the only representations made were in the form of requests for an increase of 3s a day in pay and the quarterly assessment of marriage allowances.