A Question of Accuracy.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18100, 16 June 1924, Page 8

A Question of Accuracy.

In a circular letter dated May 20 th to which his signature is appended thd Rev. J. J. North committed himself and Archbishop Julius to the statement that thete -are 453 fewethorse-races in Great Britain than in New Zealand. It was pointed 6ut, to hiln that his figures were grossly inaeciitaie, and that number of races injißritain vastly exceeds the number in New Zea* land. Some people supposed that Mt North's error was due to ignorance—that, in fact, he had supposed that'the races' at Jockey Club meetings werd all there wejre. He has, however steadfastly refused to admit his error. In* stead, he has made an. unfounded state* aent that he took his figures 'from the "Referee," and he also persists in saying that in the London "Chronicle" of April 23rd he found other of the figures he'used. And, in a letter today he actually describes as "deplorour insistence on truth in this matter! ' He adds that' his flguros "were based on calculations which '' have. appeared not infrequently in "local papers, and are confirmed" in a'year book reviewed in the Jiondon "Chronicle" of April 83rd. It is impossible to describe : these. statements except ia terms which nobody cares to apply to the statements of a clergy* man. We shall say only that they are all as far from the facts as were his figures. The "EefereeV has never made any such statement as appears ift the circular letter; of, the Council of (Christian Congregati&ns.- The Lpndon "Daily Chronicle" (which is the only paper we have eVcr heard referred to as the London "Chronicle") does, not contain anything whatever 'about the racing statistics in its issue of April 23rd. As to "the calculations which "have appeared not infrequently in "local papers," we know, nothing of them, nor does Mr North. A candid man, confronted with the plain proof that he had issued in the circular to business men grossly inaccurate figures, would have, admitted hi>B. mistake. Mr Iforth has preferred a line of argument which merely shows that he is not only ignorant and inaccurate, but, not to use too harsh a term, disingenuous and uncandid as well. ,It ought not to be necessary to point out to him that this Trill not assist his baus'e with the business >men to whom he is appealing. On the contrary, not only business men, but all plain people, will conclude that there must be something very much amiss with a case which cannot be advocated except at the expense'of accuracy and candour, and that until ho recovers ; jor acquires these necessary virtues our correspondent's outpourings .may "be. disregarded.