THE MAYOR AND MR KEIR HARDLE.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13007, 8 January 1908, Page 8

THE MAYOR AND MR KEIR HARDLE.

It having been pretty extensively circulated that tho Mayor had refused to accord Mr Keir Hardie an official reception, a member of tlie. staff of '"Tho Press interviewed hia Worship on tho subject. "ft is not true that T refused to receive Mr Keir Hardio officially," said tho Mayor, ''"because neither by any individual nor by an organisation was I asked to do so; nor has any official communication on tho subject been mado to the Council or tne. Town Cleric. It was, therefore, impossible for mc to express an opinion either one way or tho other, and 1 am quite at a less to understand how it was that such a. statement got abroad in tho city. Had Mr Hardie desired to pay his respects to the Mayor of the city ho was visiting, I was at my office at the City Council Chambers during tho hours appointed for receiving anyone on city business. I should havo been very glad to see Mr Keir Hardie a? a member of the British Parliament had ho paid tho usual compliment to the Chief Magistrate of the city. 1 should not havo deemed it necessary to say anything on tho matter had tho rumour referred to not been <x> extensively spread about."