Jack Crooks
11 February 2005
The port officials did not look like welcoming committee, they were armed and hostile. A grey patrol boat anchored nearby swung its deck gun and trained it on us.
The year was 1963, the place was the Indonesian port of Kupang. My friends and I were on a world voyage in my 12m ketch Taurangi, which we had built in an Invercargill backyard.
The khaki uniformed officials fingered the butts of their pistols as I explained we were New Zealanders and wanted to replenish our water after many days of calm north of Australia.
They conferred amongst themselves in their own language, then one of them turned to me: "If, as you say you are from New Zealand why do you fly the English flag?"
I followed his gaze aloft to where the New Zealand red ensign fluttered proudly from the mizzen mast. The Union Jack on it had never looked larger; the four stars of the Southern Cross never smaller.
It seemed the Brits were not the flavour of the month here. In fact, citizens from all the old colonial powers were distinctly unpopular. It took a lot of talking aided by a touch of blarney inherited from my Irish grandmother to convince tjem that in spite of the Union Jack on our flag we were indeed from a small country in the South Pacific. Then, their attitude changed. They had heard good things about New Zealand and the friendliness and hospitality we experienced in Kuapang gives me a warm feeling still.
However, when we sailed I kept our flag out of sight until we were well clear of their waters.
My suspicions that we might have a problem with our flag were confirmed when we reached the French Island of Reunion. No guns here - the official who came down the dock was friendly and jovial.
He glanced at our flag and beamed; Bonjour messieurs, un bateau Anglais?"
"Non, non un bateau Neo Zealandais," I protested.
The official's smile was replaced with a puzzled frown.
"La Nouvelle Zealande?"
"Oui, Nouvelle-Zelande," I said loudly pointing at our ensign.
Really bewildered now, the man gazed at the flag. Suddenly his face lit up and his smile returned. "Eh bien, je comprends!" he said snapping open his briefcase. "Un Australien!"
In Durban, we lay alongside the Swedish yacht Lunkintuss and became good friends with her crew.
Dag and Gunner were from Sunsvall, in northern Sweden, and we reckoned we were the northernmost and southernmost cruising yachts in the world.
They always flew a large yellow and blue Swedish flag, which was distinctive and visible all over the harbour.
When a Swedish ship docked at the commercial wharves about 2km away they would spot this flag and Gunnar and Dag would be invited aboard, wined and dined and sent back to their boat much the worse for wear with armfuls of Swedish goodies, which they would generously share with us.
We were envious and thought how pleasant it would be if a New Zealand ship arrived in port and we were invited aboard.
However, we knew it would never happen. Even if one came they would never spot us, they would never spot us they would never see those tiny stars on our flag.
One day Dag asked me about our flag. He had seen a New Zealand one somewhere that was blue and wondered why ours was red.
I explained we had three flags, the British blue, white and red ensigns with four stars of the Southern cross on the fly. The blue ensign was mainly a land flag but was used on government vessels and some yachts if they belonged to yacht clubs with a Royal prefix. The white ensign was for the Navy and the red ensign for all the rest, merchant ships, yachts, fishing boats and what have you.
"Good God!" said Dag incredulously. "You mean you have a working man's flag?"I hadn't thought of it that way before but most countries do only have one flag that all their citizens are free to use.
When in Cape Town, I saw the new Canandian flag flying over their embassy and thought how distinctive it lloked.
Later in Barbados, I saw a canadian yacht still defiantly flying the old flag and locals told me there had been fights aboard a Canadian warship in port at the time of change. Some Canadians did not approve of the change but I doubt you will find many today who want to go back to the old flag.
Of course we must repect the present flag and the feelings of the old soldiers who fought under it but we must also think of the young soldiers. We have people, ships and aircraft in many parts of the world's hot spots using a flag that has another country's flag emblazoned on it. They need a distinctive, recognisable New Zealand flag.
I obiviously think we should change but many people do not agree. What ever their views they should still sign the petition, becuase it si a petition for a referendum to decide if we should change the the flag or retain the present one.
The RSA has said it will abide by the majority decision and so should the rest of us. Let's sign the petition so we can have the referendum and all have our say.
Southland Times
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