Australian Navy Men

Praise From Fiji

From Our Own Correspondent SUVA, November 2.

VISITORS to the port of Suva re cently, included H.M.A.S. Can berra, which came here on her way back to Australia from the New Hebrides.

We do not see ships of the Austra lian Navy very often in these waters, though in pre-war days Suva was always included in the Australian sta tion. The Canberra is quite one of the biggest ships we have seen here for some time, and her complement of 750 Australians succeeded in im parting a lively appearance to the town.

Perhaps our Australian friends will forgive us if we say that before the arrival of the Canberra our pleasure of her approaching visit was mingled with a certain degree of apprehension as to how the Australian tempera ment would re-act to the influence of the six “pubs” of Suva. We are used to the very orderly behaviour of Royal Naval personnel of ships of the New Zealand Squadron, so it is no mean compliment to the ship’s company of H.M.A.S. Canberra when we say that the universal opinion in Suva was that all of them behaved themselves in the most exemplary manner possible.

One of the striking features was the way in which the traditions of the British Navy seemed to be perpetu ated in the best manner possible in the Canberra. This was particularly noticeable in the courtesy which the various sailors detailed for the duty, escorted parties of Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Indians, Chinese, Fijians, etc., around the ship on the days when she was open to visitors.

Suva has the happiest recollection of the visit of the Canberra —and its excellent concert party —and hopes that the town will be regularly in cluded in future in the itineraries of the R.A.N. ships.