Item 01: J. E. Morrison diary, 13 October 1917-29 October 1918 - Page 33
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[Page 33]
The Social Hall & Music room 1st saloon which is very elaborate & always whilst on the passenger service reserved for ladies & non smokers having a splendid & well ventilated smoke room. In fact few steamers afloat are so well fitted out as the Indarra. Yet this day ladies & military officers were smoking in the Music room & consequently stopped.
They say the Australian troops are lack of discipline. Well having the experience with both British & Australians I should certainly say that the Australians could show them an example, for it is pactically an insult to have to placard in Dinning rooms & Music rooms with No Smoking. It reminds one of the Gods at a Theatre. Three of these ladies are Medical doctors. Instead of being on war service really one would think you were in Gay Paree or West End of London.
The British Authorities are running this Taranto re. the troops cargo etc. they having their own lighters motor launches & tugboats & West Indian negroes. British dockers doing the labourg work & from what I have heard the British Government are paying the Italians £1000000 per year for the use of a portion