A NAVAL COMMANDER'S GRIEVANCE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 45, 21 August 1913, Page 7

A NAVAL COMMANDER'S GRIEVANCE

ALLEGED CONCOCTED CHARGES. (By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright.) OTTAWA, 20th August. Commander Roper, writing to Mr. Lemieux (who was a. member of the Laurier Administration) in reference to the latter's Parliamentary statements regarding his (Commander Roper's) report, in' which the plans of the Lanrier Administration were adversely criticised, states that there is no doubt that Mr. 'Lemieux had deliberately sought to misrepresent him. Commander Roper regrets that Mr. Lemieux's charges that the report was concocted, and made with the. object of getting his salary increased, were made under the shelter of Parliamentary privilege, and that, therefore, he is not able to take the proper course to vindicate himself. Mr. 'Lemieux has not replied. [A feature of the naval debate in the Canadian House of Commons on 7th May last was an attack By Mr. Lemieux on Commander Roper, who was lent by the Admiralty to carry out th» Laurier naval policy. Mr. Hazen, Minister of Marine and Fisheries, «ome time previously read a memorandum prepared by Commander Roper just before the election which condemned the Laurier plan of building ships and said that the ships would be obsolescent wheni finished. Mr. Lemieux declared that f the memorandum was concocted, and created an uproar in the House when he stated that the memorandum was prepared ater the election, and dated back. He said that Commander Roper acted in the way he ' did in older to get ;an increase of salary. This statement was greeted with a storm of hisses from the Government benches. When the noise died down Mr. Lemieux «aid he believed that the British Sea Lords knew the circumstances and that Commander Roper would be dismissed. Mr. Hazen vigorously defehded Commander Roper. He said that Commander Roper in 1911 became very dissatisfied with the way things were going. His recommendations were all pigeon-holed, and his proposals negatived. He decided while the election Was in progress to put his views into writing with Ihe hope that, if Sir Wilfrid Laurier were elected, it might result in a more vigorous policy, and. if the Conservatives won. it would show them the true state of affairs. Admiral Kingsmill refused to forward the memorandum, and it had been handed to him afterwards. He absolutely denied that the memorandum was concocted.] If your head lids "corners" or "bumps" on it that makes it hard to fit with a hat, then that's the head we enjoy fitting, Hope Bros,, Cubn-ttreec. | — Adyfc.