THE AMORURA INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1752, 17 May 1913, Page 4

THE AMORURA INQUIRY.

AN ACCUSATION REBUTTED. Tho Hon. F. M. 13. Fisher (Minister for Marine) told a reporter yesterday that his attention had just been directed to a statement which appeared ill an article in the "Lyltclton Times" dealing with tho inquiry which was held into the charges of (logging lioys upon the training ship Amukuva. The "Lyttelton Times" makes tho following statement:— "Mott people would regard a Hoggin l * with a knotted ropo that broke tho skiii as unduly severe, even it' tlio sufferer was nblo (o return lo work at once, but Mr. Bell, speaking, it may be presumed, for tho Cabinet, takes quite a different view of such trades. Ho thinks, indeed, that tho" boys prefer this method of punish' meat to more tedious correction." "That statement made by the 'Lyttelton Times'' leader writer is grossly inaccu-' rate," said the Minister. "No boy on tho Amolaira has ever been flogged with a knotted rope, and if tho process, as doscribed by tho 'Lyttelton Times' is eo brutal, then it might bo interesting to point out to that newspaper that t'lio flog< Rings on board ..the eliip were instituted bv tho lato Government, and not by tho Masscy Administration, and therefore, whatever blame is to be attached to tho svstem should be placed upon tho right shoulders. The 'I.yticHon Times' ought to bo gratified to know that tho lnunano Massey Administration proposed to da away with tho brutalizing methods introduced by their predecessors."