A total of 33 polar ring galaxies and polar ring galaxy candidates were observed in the 21-cm HI line with the 64-m Parkes radio telescope. The objects, selected by their optical morphology, are all south of declination -39{deg} and in only 5 of them had been reported previously. HI line emission was detected towards 18 objects, though in 3 cases the detection may be confused by another galaxy in the telescope beam, and one is a marginal detection. Eight objects were detected for the first time in HI, of which 5 did not have previously known redshifts.