STATEMENT BY MR HOSKING

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14659, 7 May 1913, Page 10

STATEMENT BY MR HOSKING

(SPBCIAI, TO "THE TRESS.")

DUNEDIN

May 6

Mr J. H. Hosking writes to the ".Star"' a-s follows: —On my return to Dunedin last night 1 saw for the first timo your leader of. the 30th April, and Mr McCullough's communication published in your issue of the 3rd inst. It ia not my purpose at the present (if at any) stage to deal with the criticisms upon the findings of the report. They are based upon a misconception, and in some cases a mis-state-ment of the terms of the report. My more immediate purpose is to deal with the suggestion contained in that passage of Mr McCullough's letter, in which he says that "The fact may be worth recording that the Hon. Mr Herdmaii and the Hon. Mr Bell together interviewed Mr Hosking in Dunedin before that gentlemen left that city to sit as Commissioner." The suggestion involved in this is that these gentlemen, or one of them, discussed with mc the Public Trust Office, or my duties as a Commissioner. or made suggestions or recommendations to mc, or sought to influence my conduct as a. Commissioner. All this is absolutely false. It is perfectly true that my daughter and I were guests of Mr H. D. Bell at Shag Valley during the New Year holidays—no strange circumstance, for our families frequently interchange visits—and that while I was there Mr Herdman and Mr H. D. Bell staved two days, in the course of their journey to Queenstown by way of Clyde. This, 1 suppose, is

the interview referred to. I can assure Mr McCullough, and all others, that tho Public Trust Office was not discussed, nor did a word pass between myself, on the one hand, or- Mr H. i>. 8011, or Mr Herdman, on the other, with reference to my duties, save tlwit the latter wished to know when I should be able to start work. Each of these gentlemen would have con-, siderfd any further reference to, or discussion of, the subject an improper interference. If it had attempted I should have resented it, as Mr McCul'oii.L'h himself would resent it if I wore to approach him out of Court on a matter with which he had to deal as a member of the .Arbitration Court. Whatever the merits/or demerits of the report upon the Public Trust Office, it was from first to la.st free from Government influence, intervention, or suggestion.