REFERENCE IN PARLIAMENT.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14515, 19 September 1917, Page 5

REFERENCE IN PARLIAMENT.

465 MAIL BAGS LOST.

[Ujtited Pkess Association.]

Wellington, Sept. Id. I "I regret to have to anuounee," said the Hon. G. W. Russell • (Aliinister of Marine),- in the -House of ■ Jj^resenta--tives t^-night£ ''that a very serious/marine disaster has owurredJvciose'/to oiir shores. A few day 3 ago.^a: lar^steaßiet^. of the Commonwealth and" TD^mTnToir Liiie railed the Port Kembla. left Australia for Home laden with provisions for tho Mother Country. I understand that she was loaded by free labour. She was calling at New Zealand" for Tike purpose of obtaining coal. .Shortly before midday to-day word was received from the. lightfiouse-keeper at Cape Farewell that the steamer Regulus had been seen towing two boats holding 60 persons. These proved to be the officers anl crew of the. ship. The cause of tho disaster, I regret to say, was an internal explosion, which acted so speedily that there was no time to save • anything except the lives of all the! officers and crew. Not even the ship's! papers vero recovered, and 465 bass*of mails have gone to tho bottom of' the sea. ■■Further information may be received, but this is all that is available at present. I regret to have to make tins announcement, but as rumours may get .about 1 think it advisable to give members all the facts " The Hon. AM Myers "also maclo ,i\ statement, >My friend the Minister" o* -Marine has said that the vessel was on her way to New Zealand to take'in coal. J hat statement is qv.ite correct I would like to mo nti'on to lion, members that as Minister in charge of supples. when the agent applied to me for coal! my anwrer-waß that it was impossible! to let him hare it owing to tTie complicated state of aifaus in Australia and il\ S™vA; eyxlt was only.nVht to men! tion that phase or .it, which had not con^ndei- tho notice of ray hon/frfeSS the Minister of Marine." Sir Joseph Ward ■ made ' a statement r^ardmc-: mails on board trie steamnr rhe ffveatjmlk of the'mftils, fie saic>: were for New 'Zealand. fT haVo an in>i Jipssinn, hut J am not mite F.ur<; tnnt rJijl ''° n Ke bags woro of English Vr 7?Ufis('ll: T!iat is *o '■ ; hi-- Joseph Wsml: Tho En'^listi imils won la vopiQ xi;\ Q,ue^. > 3fr /-T-uVlsrvi: "Any Ir-rl'ian mails?" ' Sir Jos-pb Warrl: '-ir.ero woulCT :^- ---mosu f«HninJ,v bo Indian mails on Board m addition to the others." , } !