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27
Wednesday, May 24, 1972
COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO "JUMBO" FIRE
Recommendations Accepted In Principle With One Exception
Government has accepted in principle, with one exception, the
recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry into the "Jumbo" fire subject
to approval of their financial implications by the Legislative Council's
Finance Committee once these have been worked out.
This was stated today by the Colonial Secretary, the Hon, Sir Hugh
Norman-Walker, at the Legislative Council in a statement on the Report of
the Commission of Inquiry into last October's fire on the "Jumbo" floating
restaurant at Aberdeen.
Sir Hugh said the exception, in paragraph 110 (xviii), was put
forward by the Commission only as an alternative to one of the other
recommendations which had been accepted, and the fact that it had not been
accepted was of no significance.
He pointed out that the Report did not apportion responsibility
between the parties mentioned, nor did it attempt to determine their civil
liabilities since the Commission thought that these were matters which should
be left to the regular Courts of Law.
One of the recommendations accepted, he said, was that the Director
of Marine be given overall responsibility for the supervision of working
conditions on ships and floating structures being built, repaired or renovated
in Colony waters and that he be given suitable powers of enforcement.
The Commission