AN INQUIRY IN CAMERA,

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24525, 6 February 1941, Page 6

AN INQUIRY IN CAMERA,

Public interest and, as Mr Justice Callan added, public curiosity, are very naturally focused upon the proceedings before the Commission of Inquiry which is investigating the circumstances that have surrounded the losses of British vessels by enemy action in the Pacific and the allegation that there was a leakage of information concerning movements of these vessels. . Some startling and disturbing suggestions have been made by persons who,, were prisoners on enemy raiders, that

would point to the commanders of these ships being in possession of knowledge of the sailing schedules of steamers which subsequently became their victims. It has been fairly broadly hinted in Australia that the enemy was receiving information from New Zealand. The, people of this country are entitled to have the assurance that a searching inquiry shall be made, and that this inquiry will be instrumental in securing that, any channels of information, if such are found to have existed; shall be closed. It was. contended by the Solicitor-general when the proceedings were opened, and • the commission concurred, that the proceedings should be held in camera. With this view there should be fairly general agreement. The more .important' the evidence before the commission, the greater becomes the possibility /'that' its publication plight provide .a Warning to persons With? a sinister, interest, or even that it might contain disclosures of future value to enemies of this country. It is. inevitable that some of the evidence—for example, that concerning secret routing instructions to shipping in,these waters—must be withheld from ttie public,; and such a riecessity ‘ being recognised, the publication of portions only of testimony might; serve to Create an entirely wrong impression in the public mind. It is a pertinent consideration, moreover, as mentioned by Mr Justice Gallan, that some evidence might be obtained during hearings in camera that would not be brought forward at a public inquiry The commission was right in interpreting its attitude toward the important question whether its proceedings should be accessible to the public as one that required that it should lean to the side of caution. The fundamental reason for the inquiry is that shipping should be safeguarded in a time of extreme hazard, and all the effbrts of the Commission will be directed towards ascertaining whether precautions additional to those already taken are necessary to achieve this end. The findings of the Commission' will be made available, in due course, and a summarisation of the evidence might quite suitably be issued at that time.