THE MAJOR AND THE CAPTAIN.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1162, 24 June 1911, Page 3

THE MAJOR AND THE CAPTAIN.

Sir,—ln your article of tho 21st. inst., dealing with the alleged dispute between the Wellington Teachers' Institute and tho Commandant of Junior Cadets, there are. one or two inaccuracies which, I think, you will gladly permit mo to correct, as I feel sure you do not wish to mislead the public in any waj\ Yon state, inter alia, "To one of the members of the Institute, however, ho showed tho files, and, nccording to that member, who defended him very stoutly at the meeting, ho gave permission to use tho matter in the file." Now, as I happen to bo the "member" of the Institute you refer to, I should liko to be allowed t<v explain my position in connection with this matter. What "files," and what "file" arc you referring to? I.deny that I was permitted by the Commandant to peruse any Departmental file or files whatsoever. I questioned the Commandant about the alleged dispute,'and was frankly told the merits of the case from his (tho Commandant's) point of view. With reference to "defending" the Commandant. May I ask: If your actions wero being adversely criticised during your absence, and somebody present nsked that your side of tho question should be heard, would you object to being thus "defended"? Certainly not. nor 'would any unbiased person. All 1 (lid at tho meeting of the Institute was to'make an effort to have both sides of tho question disc.us'.ed before any resolution was carried. I regret to say that I was only partially successful, despite, tho fact that the president of the Institute

at tho outset of llio meeting invited free discussion, and, 1 think, stated that freedom of speech was what tho Institute was contending for.—l am, etc., D. M. POLSON. June 21, 1911.