HMNZS Arbutus ( K403 ) HMNZS " Arbutus was a modified of the Royal New Zealand Navy ( RNZN ) . Built for the Royal Navy as HMS " Arbutus , the corvette was transferred to the RNZN on completion in 1944 , and operated during the final years of World War II . In April 1947 , " Arbutus " was one of the units involved in a mutiny over poor pay and working conditions . She was decommissioned in 1948 and broken for scrap in 1951 . Construction . The corvette was built for the Royal Navy by George Brown and Company of Greenock , Scotland . She was laid down on 3 May 1943 , and launched on 26 January 1944 . Before completion , she was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy , and commissioned on 5 July 1944 . Operational history . Post - war . In early February , " Arbutus " was deployed on a two - month show the flag cruise around the Pacific Islands . The deployment had seen several incidents , the first of which occurred while the ship was docked in Tahiti ; sailors who were meant to be guarding the ship became drunk , after which a crowd of Tahitians attempted to board the ship and remove equipment . On departure , the corvette sailed into a heavy storm , which lasted for several days . Waves breaking over the bow rendered the bridge unusable , and many aboard — including the ship ' s cat , for the first and only time in its life — were seasick . Water contamination of the fuel oil taken on in Tahiti damaged the propulsion machinery , further adding to the problems . When " Arbutus " finally limped into port at the end of March , the ship ' s company were informed that they would only remain at HMNZS " Philomel " long enough to take on aviation fuel and supplies to be delivered to the Cook Islands . Mutiny . At the time of " Arbutus " return to " Philomel " , there were problems affecting sailors across the RNZN . The main cause of unhappiness was a pay review due to be released in the next few days ; the review was a year late , and sailors learned that they would still be underpaid in comparison to Army and Air Force equivalents , and that the government had backed down on its promise to backdate the pay to the original due date of the review . In addition , attempts to improve the working and living conditions aboard RNZN ships through lower - deck committee s had proven to be ineffective . On the morning of 1 April , 100 sailors at " Philomel " refused duty at morning parade ; they were later joined by personnel from HMNZS " Black Prince " which was undergoing refits at the base . The ship ' s company of " Arbutus " had been confined to the ship in preparation for their imminent departure , but at 14 : 00 , representatives of the mutineers walked up to the dock next to the corvette and began discussions with those aboard . All the sailors aboard " Arbutus " joined the mutiny , bringing the numbers up to 200 . That afternoon , the mutineers marched off the base . Although the government agreed to make the new pay rates retrospective , the mutineers intended to remain off base until the rest of their demands were met . This did not happen ; on 3 April , the sailors were ordered to return to work and accept punishment or be discharged . Of the 200 , only 23 men returned to the base , they , along with 18 British loan personnel were used to man " Arbutus " and get her underway for the Cook Islands that afternoon . In their haste to separate the loyalists from further mutinous influences , the ship was not properly provisioned , and all aboard were forced to eat canned pilchard s for the entire voyage . Fate . " Arbutus " was paid off in 1948 , and returned to the Royal Navy . She was broken up for scrap in June 1951 at Dunston , Tyne and Wear .