THE AMOKURA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 264, 31 July 1908, Page 8

THE AMOKURA.

A SERIES OF COMPLAINTS. ALLEGED DISREGARD OF REGULA- ... TIONS. ; Mr. William Trimblctfc, late chief steward of tho Government training-ship Amokura, has laid before us a scries of complaints concerning tho conduct of affairs on board tho "Vessel. "Without going into tho wliolo of tho details we. summarised a number , of.: thoso complaints apd ■ forwarded the following Jotter to tho Commander of tho vessel' Captain, Hooper, . ~ . Commander Amokura, . . Wellington. " Dear Sir,—l wish' to inform you that a series of- complaints have been lodgpd with us in 'connection with' the administration of affairs on board the Amokura. These com-plaints-we feel, called on to publish as a -matter of public concern,'but before doing' so, desire to submit'them to you, thus affording you opportunity, of ,reply, should'you desiro it. The complaints are as follows , (1) That. subsequent ,to tho initial training .'givQn to'tho first 20. boys'received on' board, the proper or officiont 1 ' routine of'drill has not been adhered to.' ■ (2)- That tho following clauses of the regulations have not been adhered to :— Nos.' s'(second part), 6,' 7, 10," 16, 19, 25, 26, 28, 30, 47 (gunnory and exercises), 48 (sub-clauses 5 and 7), 50, 61, 53, and 54. . (3) That the boys are inadequately clad, and have had to perform dutiqs in • clothes incompatible with'decency.: (4) 'That mouldy bread' has been seired out to the boys while' the vessel was .on the..coast. '(5) That.prayers-havo nover been, read - .on the.sh.ip■ since it was commissioned. . (6) That discipline in its broadest sense • has; not' been- practised on board, and' that, methods ;havo been practised -that'..' are- not conducive to tho preservation of good feeling among tho. officers andfin- • structors and other persons in'authority' on the ship. • ■ (7) That cases have occurred in which l boys hayo -been withdrawn -from the ship' on' account of the unsatisfactory state of things oiv board. (8) That competent instructors have '•■' left, the ship,, being dissatisfied with the : conduct; of: affairs on ' board the' Amo- - kura. ' - • 1 ' If you desire'- to answer these complaints' wo shall be pleased to.publish .such explanation .as-you choose to make. ~' Awaiting an" early reply,' '. , " ' ." Yours, etc., " EDITOR.; Captain: Hooper,; who .'was about to sail for Auckland,, but .who has since' been detained' by an outbreak ; of'sickness on : board the vossol, gave the , allegations in, general a flat. contradiction. . In connection with Claiise 47 of tho regulations, providing for instruction, lie admitted that single-stick arid sword-bayojiot exorcises had not been 1 carried out, simpl.v because, there was not room on board for these oxercisos. Ho admitted also that prayers wero not read on board, but tho. boys, went to church every Sunday— sometimes twice a day.. On only one occasion was the bread mouldy, and then the was responsible. Mr. Triniblett,- on being- informed- of Capt. Hooper's denials, reiterated his statements', and oxpressed his )villingness : to' prove them before a Parliamentary Conynittee or any competent' Court of. Inquiry!,