ENQUIRY ORDERED.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1701, 18 March 1913, Page 5

ENQUIRY ORDERED.

t- ——' RE AMOKURA, CHARGES OF FLOGGING BOYS (From A Correspondent.) Hamilton; March 17, Considerable interest lias been manifested iu a letter which lias appeared in the "Waikato Times" (printed at Hamilton) which contains charges regarding the New Zealand Government ship Amokura. The letter (which is.signed J. .G. Harp, Frankton Junction) states that ho visited the Amokura during December last and goes on to say that lie was "distressed to learn" that some of the boys were subjected to severe corporal punishment—tlio writer calls it "flogging '—l'or what. lie considers were very trifling offences. For instance, one-'boy,' for leaving his coat lying on the deck, another for being caught with a cigarette, and another for stealing a tin of condensed milk. Ho adds certain serious allegations regarding boys being made to strip and laid over tho hatchway and. concludes:—This is no exaggeration; for 1 do not rush into print before considering well my facts." STATEMENT BY THE HON. F. M. B. FISHER. IMMEDIATE ACTION TAKEN.

The foregoing message from Hamilton was brought' under the notice .of' the Kon. F. M. B. Fisher (Minister for Maline) last evening. r Mr. Fisher stated that oil Saturday last he received a communication from Mr. J. A. Young, member for Waikato, in which his attention was drawn to' tlio statements made by Mr. Harp in -his' letter to the : "Waikato Times.". "I immediately gave directions that a Departmental inquiry should bo held," continued Mr. Fisher, "and although the news only reached me, at mid-day of Saturday, the Departmental inquiry was commenced on . board . the Amokura at 9.30 o'clock this, (Monday) morning. The inquiry is being conducted by Mr. Allport, head of the Marine Department, ' assisted by an officer of the Crown; Law Department. The whole of the evidence is.being shorthanded. . "Mr. Young informed mo in tlio communication which he sent," added the Minister, "that Mr. Harp stated that the barbarous custom of flogging boys on the Amokura' had - had such an effect upon the second officer of the vessel, Mr. Campbell, that he had suffered a nervous breakdown and had in consequence left the ship. I not only at once instructed Mr. Allport to proceed on board the ship and at once conduct an examination amongst the officers and boys before any outside information could reach -them as to what was in the wind, but I have also telegraphed Mr. Harp, who is responsible for the allegations, and asked liihf if lie will be good enough to at once proceed to Wellington, in tho public interest, and Rive evidence before tho Secretary of Marine and justify the serious statements which he has made. I have also communicated with Mr. Campbell, late second officer of the Amokura, whoso nervous breakdown Mt. Harp attributes to the flogging of the boys on board, and have asked Mr. Campbell to at onco proceed to Wellington with a view to giving evidence. Upon the arrival of these persons in Wellington their evidence will bo taken and the report made by Mr. Allport will bo referred to me for decision as to n-hat 'further steps will be necessary. , /:•. "So far as I am concerned," concluded the Minister, "the publio may rest assured th&t the very fullest and freest investigation will bo mode at once. Any person desirous of tendering any evidence upon the subject matter of the inquiry should communicate with tho head of the Marine Department at once." '