NO PUBLIC INQUIRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 January 1941, Page 6

NO PUBLIC INQUIRY

0 INTO RECENT STRANDING OF RANGITIRA. CONS IDERED U N DESIR Alll. E IN WAR TIME. (By T<-h‘gr;tph-“Puss Association. < WELLINGTON, This Day ■ A departmental inquiry into the I circumstances of the stranding of the j Rangatira near Lyttelton has been held ; by a Superintendent of Mercantile I Marine, and the facts recorded by I means of sworn statements taken from 1 those concerned. No public inquiry is I to be held. Normally, in the case of such st ; .stranding, the Minister of Marine ■ would order a public inquiry to be j held before a magistrate and marine! assessors, the authority so to do and i the manner of the hearing being set; out in the Shipping and Seamen Act. . Tile Act enjoins that such a hearing j with the necessary cross-examinations! of witnesses shall be held in public., the principle being that publicity is ’ in the public interest and reacts in the. direction of cure m navigation. The Government is anxious that full : publicity should i given :•> the c:>- ! vumsiimevs of m-:rn;<.- casualties, but I considers thill the exigencies of lite war rende’ if neither desirable nor in the public interest to hold the usual inquiry al the pn-in'. t.niv It nas therefore bee: decided that public inquiry will be held