"ROUND THE SOUNDS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 433, 16 February 1909, Page 8

"ROUND THE SOUNDS.

EXPLANATION BY THE HON. T. • : ■.;;/ -',r; -•.-. MACKENZIE; ; r .•;'!•;'--<^;\ '..- (BY CORRESPONDENT.) •,.;., 'V;;.-.--.' .-'-■ Dunedln, February 15..: v. In a conversation which a .reporter, hnd with the' Hon.. T. .Mackenzie'.to-day,,Tee-Dominion's article on "Round the Sounds'' was mentioned. ;>'As;to', an- accompanying paragraph dealing with tho difference between himself and the second officer (Mr. Tomlin T son), the.hori.-gentleman said:—:"This- gives ail entirely false: colouring, to, what occurred. The statement about people not landing at Supper' Cove, Dusky Sound,, is incorrect. All who desired.-fo. laud had -opportunity.of doing so.y It. is true that, on the first, .trip, when the '.officer in charge:of the boat; pro? ceededyto land us at -a swampy.place, where. we could not havo . moved 'fifty -yards',., I pointed out its; unsuitability.and requested' him. to take us- a Jittle higher, up tho river, where there'was. a good landing.. This your correspondent as., a peremptory order. To my request he objected,■ statiug that the captain's- orders 1 wore to land at the'nearest point and return at once:to the. ship. :■■ When ho , mentioned this, ■ I said 'L don't want you to disobey; orders,' ;and further said that I would.return to the. vessel,whonhe would be. instructed, by.- the captain, to land me where I.desired to be landed.. shortly afterwards returned tothesteameir, and a large boatload, consisting principally of those in the.boat before, then left forthe shore and landed at the most suitable spot. Other boats plied to and from. the'Hineinoa to the. shore -fpr.-.Vthe rest of the ..evening;I migbt: here say that -the;' reason iwhyi the Hinomoa-visited .that- part of- , , the .Sounds at all was by arrangement made by:myself .be-, fore: leaving,AVellington,.:as'-I had ;importaht work to do.- ,'As a :-inatter..of,;fact',- .IV.was planning an., excursion', for:.the:.passengers; and desired to/see whether it-waspossibleor not to work -in; the scenery, of,,the; Seaforth.Valley as;part of the;itinerary..fp£ tourists, generally. ...'Our. .'work 'provedi that that could be ;dohe. to advantage, and I trust that next-Easter wiU;seo"mahy:,ava.ilirig them-, selves of; the opportunity\ that <will -.be;- giyeiil to them; to see.our. glorious western- scenery: at a very .moderate'cost."::',.". ::>: -:- : -'/.'.'■ v, iA,;Dunedin, : reporter,.' who was , with-■the' party,-.adds 'that -the 'Hon.;T. v Mackenzie's: account of !the : incident is:,the correct '.one; - and deficient only : w .that.-it pmits r a few remarks on\either'sidp which.were} of dinate : value;;..To;:say."that :. the' Minister, swaggered , about:is:.wide,of:,the.truth'.; He" ■was. the v least obtrusive;.of' the , : party. .The statement as .to. the Minister's' legs' giving way. pn: the/:trip.-is.' an. invehtibrii:;,-On': his : .weary : :bush tramp,of. sßveri miles,inland from Dusky Sound he slipped .and ..'strained -one of !hif .legs, :;.butihe-;recpver.ed withvrest' bn;:.shi{H ■ board,rand never complained during , the overland trip. V-:}:. •■•■"■■'-..'.'■ ■:':-''.■. ■'•'.-' : .-'" ■' ■■''""■.':'