THE ROTORUA CASE.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 15939, 28 June 1917, Page 3

THE ROTORUA CASE.

QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT,

RESPONSIBILITY OF SHIPPING

COMPANY

(it.Oil OC P. OWN CORItESFOSnEXI.)

LONDON, May 15

The most confirmed pessimist on the food question must become an optimist in faco of the cheery nonchalance with, which a well-informed Government Department met criticism of the loss of tho Rotorua and a number oi other ships.

Several questions for down for asking in the iiouso and were withdrawn in theso most patriotic days before finally one by Sir Frederick Banbury eamo to the light. He spoko not merely of one snip but of several, and Sir L. Chiozza Money replied that thero was a rulo that naval ratings should bo landed in safety at the earliest moment. Sir .Frederick said that was all right, but did not tho Government thinji the safe arrival of food cargoes of sufficient importance to provido facilities for them at the nearest port instead of sending them out again to run tho gauntlet of submarines. Sir Leo said the matter was now under serious consideration. (Voices: "Too late!'') Mr Swift MacNeill asked if no protest was raado against putting to sea again, and Sir Leo answered; "'I iiave made very careful enquiries of tho owners and I have been unablo to ascertain that any protest was made." This evidently referred to some other ship, for Sir Leo said she had only. 1500 tons of foodstuffs on board. Several impatient questions were interjected, and Sir Leo promised to have enquiries made.

Mr Joynson Ilicks: After all this enquiry cannot the lion, member fix a date when wo arc likely to have something done and when definite orders will bo giveu that ships shall be unloaded at.the first port touched at. Sir Leo: I have enquired of the owners of this vessel, and they agree that tho cargo could not havo been landed at this port because facilities did not exist.

LORD MEATH'S QUESTION. In tho House of Lords a few days later Lord Mcath got to bedrock in the matter of the liotorua. Lord Lvtton, in reply, warmly rebutted the suggestion that the naval authorities Had ordered the vessel on to another port with her cargo. The statement that the liotorua was torpedoed in tho Channel on March 22nd was correct, but it was not tho fact that permission to unload her cargo at Plymouth was refused and that somo authority,, naval or shipping, ordered that the vessel should proceed to another port. Tho port of destination of tho cargo was entirely a matter lor the owners of tho ship, and would be determined by them before the vessel left New Zealand. _Tho authority of the Admiralty over merchant ships was confined to the period when they wero at sea, and it was the duty of the Admiralty to give all ships such instructions as would enablo them to take tho safest possible routes during the voyage; but tho destination of either a ship or cargo was entirely outside their jurisdiction. The case of tho liotorua had been mado tho foundation for a largo number of exaggerated and inaccurate statements. Ho know of only one other case of tho sinking of a ship in exactly similar circumstances. For somo time past the Admiralty had urged that all vessols oarrying valuable Cargoes of food should discharge those cargoes at the earliest port of arrival whenever possible; but tho-Admiralty had no absolute power to order a ship to unload its cargo at either one port or another. . If it wero necessary for the Government tn intervene in that war the orders would liavo been given by the Shipping Controller, who would maintain the closest co-operation with the Admiralty so as to ensuro that the instructions , were carried out. Tie had the authority of tho Shipping Controller to say that, ho would certainly take whatever action seemed to him necessary' to ensure that, as far as possible, ships with valuable cargoes of foodstuffs should be unloaded at tho nearest port of call. But it was impossible to say at the present moment that any particular ship should unload at any particular port. It might be said that a cfirco once in port might bo left there. Food cargoes could not, however, be dumped down anywhere. Unless there were facilities for storing and dealing with the food it would bo lost by deterioration. If the Rotorua had been unloaded at Plymouth without facilities for dealing with the cargo when unloaded, tho cargo would have been lost by deterioration. .Nothing, therefore, would have been gained. He did not make that an excuso for saying that things must go on as they .were at present. He onlv mentioned it as 'illustrating the fact that a great deal would have to be done to enablo such instructions as the noble Lord had suggested to be carried out. At tho beginning of tho war wo were not in a. position to transicr our shipping at a moment's notice from East Coast to Vest Coast ports. If it was desirable that that should bo done, or if it was found nece'ssarv to say that the cargo of a ship should bo unloaded at the port where it .first touched, a great deal would have to dono to make it possible for these things to be carricd out.

ARRANGEMENTS "MUST" BE MADE. He did not say that tho arrangements coutd not be made; ho yaid that if they were necessary thev must t>e made. The Shipping Controller had now under very serious consideration, in co-operation with tho Hoard of Trade and the Railway Executive, what steps would have to be taken, in order to enable cargoes to be delivered at any port which might tiQ desired. It was with regard to t.'ie unloading of cargoes that the Shipping Controller was concerned. If these valuable cargoes were to be saved steps must be taken and would be taken to ensure that they should be unloaded wherever it was desirable. The Admiralty had nothing to do with the unloading of a cargo: its business was to provide for the. safety of the ship while at sea. The Admiralty would continue to discharge its duties by giving instructions for the safety of snipping while at sea, and whatever other measures might be neccssary would be taken by tho Shipping Controller in co-operation with the Board of Trade and the Hailwav Committee."

Lord Meatli was glad to hear Lord Lytton say that steps must he taken. In partial correction of this statement it should bo mentioned that at the timo the Rotorua was lost, most of England was covcred with snow, and the temperature was so low that a meat cargo conld have been landed, without special facilities, and. transported for twelvo hours, or even longer, without any deterioration whatever.