TRANSPORT SCANDAL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 34, 4 November 1919, Page 7

TRANSPORT SCANDAL

* DISGRACEFUL CONDITIONS ALLEGED STRONG STAND BY SIR JOHN MONASH By Talesrrauh-Preßs Acsooiatioif-Copyrislit London, October 31. A number of Australian (troops and Ihtiir wives refused to proceed lo sea in the Waimana from Tilbury, owing to'the alleged faulty aocommodnfcon and other arrangements. They assort that they found the cabins over-crowded and infested with rats. It Mas necessary to Ktispond infants in cols in inaccessible parts of tho cabins, where there was HCiueely room t'o nicve. One of the infants had a toe bitten by a rat. There was no proper water supply in the women's section, and batte'.ng accommodation for both men 1 and women was lacking, whvlo water soaking through the rout soaked a number of bunk?. The men also complain of faulty arrangements prior to the ship's departure. Women and children were exposed in the rain for an hour at tho'dock and for two hours aboard a tender. Some lay awake all night long, practically without food. A. combined protest was made to Colonel James, officer commanding tho troops on board, and ho agreed to allow the dissatisfied people to .leave the ship, offering them a special train and acornmentation in. London. One hundred and twenty accepted, but there wna no train, nor any accommodation in London. -There are, about 500 men aboard, with 400 women, and 100 children under three. A number of the men visited Mr. Andrew Fisher (Australian High Commissioner) to-day, and 'made a detailed compla'.nt. Ah official inquiry is proceeding at. Headquarters, and a statement will 'bo issued without delay. It is an- ' nounced that tho Board of Trade passed the Wnimaiia. General IMonash, after receiving a deputation from the ship, explained that tho Waimana was a long time being fitted for second-class passengers, mostly non-commissioned ami i warrant officers and thcr'ir families, who had been retained in England for demobilisation duties. Some officers and nurses brought the total to about a. thousand. Tho Australian inspection officers had, passed tho ship as suitable, but when passengers arrived aboard they immediately complained. Tt was a crying shame that tho ship could nor he taken alongside *he wharf. Women with infants in arms, and also expectant mothers, had a long wait in (.lit- rain, and the launch accommodation was inadonuale. The authorities n-ore nnwifcw to remedy this, because insufficient launches were available The niisengers arrived on board ]n_ a miserable condition. The officer commonding the troons interviewed General Monash at. midnight on \\ ednesd-iv, and convevd to Inn 'iho complaint of overcrowdine. General Menash immediately decided that onehird of the passengers should be disembarked, winch was done. General Monasli. Tlim-suVy, sent an efficient board o snrve.v, who reported that fi<e con.plaints H-ere jn«fc : fied, and the ship was not in a suitable condition for the vovJ|?e, even with a reduced complement il'ey reported Hiat she was not fit to (alee ="cond-class passengers at efl Genem] Monash therefore to-day ordered tho withdrawal of all Hie pnssen^i's. General Monnsh is endeavouring to imn-r the shin the wharf, and is nisn providing adequate shore accommodation for the passengers pendV the allotment of another steamer. , The passenger.! complained that there were no proper sitting-rooms, ,v,id no hot •ujtev WflS ]„ j(1 0 „ j. 0 Hlr , ))I , fl)rooms as stipulated. A woman told him that she found a. rat in the fame 'bed with hpr.chid, and the pines leaking. "The Waimana is a perfectlv good ship, but ).? in an improper condition, and should riot have been accepted for the voyage. Jt wa.s a mercy the. defects wero discov-' ered in time, sparing the passengers sufHiriiie a. .long voyage, through Iho tropics. General Monash .■■■aid the Deparlmpnr prided itself on its high standard of faimily brats, and he wa.« always particularly careful with respect to infants. Tho food supplies on the Waimana wero tar below the standard aimed at. Ho understood the ship was formerly used as a New Zealand troopship, but never as a fams.y ship. General Monash has ordered an inouiry to ix the risponsil.iliiy. He exi>!nins that he relim,m<a>ed the directorship of yepal.nat.on, but (he Miir-<(or .'isked him to remain for a month in an advisory capacity, lie therefore intervened in this mater, because of the importance of he di-ision In cci-l Iho ship's de-parture.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.