COMPLAINTS ARE NONSENSE

Chronicle (Levin), 29 August 1946, Page 5

COMPLAINTS ARE NONSENSE

— Press Assnr.i.atinn

CONDITIONS ON SIIIP

Bv Telearavh

WELLINGTON, August 28. "All dormitories on the Dominion Monarch were specially constructed for ex-servicemen 's dependants by the sea transport authorities, to the sa'tisfaction of Australian Government officials in London," said the commander of tho Dominion Alonarch,. Sir Henrv Gordon, when reports- of unsatisfactpry conditios on the ' liiier ivliich were made at Melbourne last week and r'epeated when the ship arrived at Wellington today, were referred to him. He admitted some of the wives did not like eight and ten lierth dormitories. Passengers complained that the laundry and drying facilities were hopelessIv inadequate. One said the couditions resemblcd the "black hole of Calcutta" and three batlirooms had to serve about 150 people. "I am convinced all these comjilaints are nonsense," said Mr. E. V. Bevin, New Zealand manager of the Shaw, ■iavill aml Albion Companj*. "The Doininion Monarch is still a troop trans-)ort,-not having been reconditioned jince war service and althougli the conlitions in the dormitories are liard, all lassengers had signed an agrpement in Britain accepting the fact that the ship j vas still a transport." (Some passengers described the com- 1 ilaints as nnwarranted. | There were two deaths 'during the ! royage out, a young baby cliild of a ! sTew Zealand serviceman dying when' he ship was between Fremantle and | Jelbourne, and a lady aged 77 dying fom heart failure when passing through he tropics.