§ 32. Mr. Gallacherasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has considered the letters sent to him by the hon. Member for West Fife dealing with the allegations made by Mr. Eusebius Tunde George, of 71, Foresythe Street, Lagos, who states that he and five other stowaways on the ss. "Duke of Sparta," a British ship which left Apapa on 24th December, 1947, were thrown overboard when the ship was off the Gold Coast; that he and another had been picked up by fishermen, but there was no trace of the other four; that he has made statements to the police authorities at Axim, Takoradi and Accra; and what action it is proposed to take, in view of the widespread feeling on this issue among the people of Nigeria.
§ Mr. MayhewMy right hon. Friend has received a report on the matter from the Acting Governor of Nigeria, which includes statements taken from persons concerned and a summary of the investigation made by the Gold Coast Police. There is no evidence to support the allegation that six stowaways were thrown overboard from the vessel or that any deaths -occurred.
The facts are that five African stowaways were discovered on the vessel before 384 she sailed from Lagos on 25th December, 1947, and were handed over to the police. Two days out from Lagos, when the vessel was a few miles off the Gold Coast, two more stowaways were discovered, and the master summoned fishing canoes which were in the vicinity and had a rope placed over the side to assist the transfer of the two stowaways to the canoes. Evidence on the question whether they were in the water at any time during this transfer is conflicting. Some days later, after the vessel had left Las Palmas, five more stowaways were discovered, and these five were carried on to the United Kingdom, and were landed at Hull. As regards the last part of the Question, action has been taken in Nigeria to correct the misleading stories which have been published.
§ Mr. GallacherIn view of the very serious character of this accusation, can the Minister say why, in view of the fact that this was widely published in the Nigerian Press of 13th February, no action of any kind has been taken by any of those affected in order to stop that publication or against those responsible for the publication?
§ Mr. MayhewI have already stated that we have taken steps to correct the misleading stories. As the hon. Member says, the accusations are serious—a good deal more serious than the facts.
§ Mr. NallyBut in view of the widespread circulation of the account described in the Question, and the quite unscrupulous use of it for various purposes in the Colonies, can my hon. Friend describe more exactly the steps taken to publicise the full account of the matter in Nigeria? Secondly, would he consider, as an act of elementary justice to Captain Kirkwood, whose good name is seriously impugned in this matter, making it plain that the captain's account of the circumstances is substantially borne out by all the evidence that has been examined carefully?
§ Captain MarsdenWill the hon. Gentleman also confirm what the hon. Member for Bilston (Mr. Nally) has just said by taking action against Mr. George for bringing forward inaccurate accusations?
§ Mr. MayhewI do not think that last point is a matter for the Government. On the first point, we repudiated a large 385 number of false statements made against the captain, but I would not like without notice to add to my carefully balanced statement.
§ Mr. GallacherIs it not the case that the hon. Gentleman has a copy of the paper of 13th February that I sent him which stated definitely that the man went to the police on three occasions and reported the facts, and that no action of any kind was taken by any of those affected until now, late in the month of April, I have raised the matter? Can he tell us why no action of any kind was taken until the Question was put down?
§ Mr. NallyIs my hon. Friend aware that I hold in my hand the "Nigerian Review" for 17th February whose main heading is "Fantastic story about stowaways is proved false"?