COLONEL PORTER AND THE SEDDON-TAYLOR CASE.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12129, 27 February 1905, Page 6

COLONEL PORTER AND THE SEDDON-TAYLOR CASE.

Wo are glad to see that the Premier has called Colonel Porter to account for his ____ interview in the " Poverty Bay Herald" in regard to the SeddonTaylor case, and has made it clear that neither Captain Seddon nor himself wain any way responsible for such a communication being made to the Press. Colonel Porter's statements are undoubtedly important and interesting for the light they throw upon the case, but they should have been made on -oath before the jury during the trial, not brought out now after; a settlement-has been arrived at. We confess that wo do not quite understand why Colonel Porter was not called as a witness, either by one side or the other/ seeing that he was Captain Seddon's commanding of-! ficer, and as such conducted an investigation on the spot into the affair which formed the basis of the trial. The essence of an honourable settlement such as was arrived at in this case, however, is that both parties agree to let "bygones be bygones," and to take no step in the direction of reviving discussion on the points at issue. For Colonel Porter to obtrude his views and statements before the public after Buch a settlement is an extremely improper and uncalled-for proceeding. His conduct is made all the worse by the fact that he is a Government servant, under the immediate control of tlie plaintiff's father, who, as is well known, is not only Prime Minister, but occupies the position of Minister of Defence.