INQUIRY IN AUCKLAND

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 116, 19 May 1939, Page 9

INQUIRY IN AUCKLAND

CONDITIONS ABOARD

ENDEAVOUR

THOROUGH {INVESTIGATION

(Independent Cable Service.)

(Received May 19, 11.40 a.m.)

LONDON, May 18

In the House of Commons the Civil Lord ofi the Admiralty, Colonel J. J. Llewellyn, in answer) to .questions by Mr. H. J. Parker (Labour) said the Admiralty survey ship Endeavour would return to Auckland on June 3 when the commodore commanding the New Zealand station would order a full confidential inquiry. The rank of the officer who would conduct the inquiry had not yet been reported but the investigation would be thorough and no rating who made representations in the proper service manner would be penalised.

A London message published on Wednesday stated: Searching questions regarding the Admiralty survey ship Endeavour, which is at present in New Zealand waters, will be asked in the House of Commons on May 18. Information will be demanded regarding the nature of the inquiry into conditions aboard the ship, the safeguards for ratings who give evidence, what action will be taken to remedy two years' unsatisfactory state of affairs, whether quarterly returns of punishments have been received by the Admiralty, why the large number of warrant offences was not discovered long ago, the steps to be taken to remove the cause, and how many wives and dependants have been informed that their allowances have been stopped because of desertions.