"A DISCLOSURE"

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 141, 11 December 1914, Page 5

"A DISCLOSURE"

VICTIMISATION ALLEGED WHAT THE FACTS WERE., (BT IELMBAPH— SPBCMIi TO THE POST.) LEESTON, 10th December. In the Christchurch Star of yesterday evening there appeared a correspondent's telegram from Carterton, headed " Hornsby's Disclosure," "Victimisation in the Wairarapa," which is repeated in to-day's Lyttelton Times, as follows : " In the course of his address at Martinborough Mr. J, T. M. Hornsby. Liberal candidate for the Wairarapa seat, called attention to the victimisation of a Government employee. A young man who had been for eight months on the telegraph construction gang had suddenly had his services dispensed with. On the Monday night at the Kahutara School this young man had moved a motion of thanks and confidence in him (Mr. Hornsby). The motion of confidence had been withdrawn at the speaker's request, and one of thanks only was carried. Pn Wednesday evening that young man ' got the bullet ' — he was sacked. Now, there were one of two things: either the young man was an inefficient and unworthy mart, or he had been victimised. Enquiry showed that the man was a good worker; he had been, eight months in the gang, and therefore it was clear that the young fellow had been victimised because he had. become a little prominent in politics. This was a discreditable business, and one that needed to be visited with the marked diepleasuro of the whole community " On mentioning the matter to the Hon. Mr. Rhodes, Postmaster-General, he authorised me to say that when he saw the message to-day he at once communicated with the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department, to ascertain the

facts, and received the following re"There is absolutely no foundation for the statement that the services of Mr. • , a temporary employee of this Department, were dispensed with on account of his taking part at Mr. Hornsby's meeting at Kahutara. The position is that had been previously warned that his services were not satisfactory, and that if he failed to improve he would have to be dispensed with. In spite of this warning his work showed no improvement, and he was accordingly paid off on the 3rd inst. He had a week's warning. The officer responsible for dispensing with *- — services assures me that he was not aware that Mr. Hornsby's meeting had ever been held." Though it is probably too late now to counteract any influence the publication of this statement on the eve of the General Election may have had, Mr. Rhodes thinks it only fair to his Department that *the facte should be given publicity.