STILL ANGRY

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 138, 7 December 1918, Page 4

STILL ANGRY

AUCKLANDERS AND MR. RUSSELL "■DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS" BROKEN OFF. Ox nueura.— snciiL to rai kut.) AUCKLAND, This Day. Matters regarding the quarantining of Makura and the friction that baa arisen between the Mayor (Mr. Gunson) and the Minister for Public Health (Hon. G. W. Russell) still engage a large share of ppblic attention. Telegrams have been passing freely between the Mayor, the Citizens' Committee, tho Chamber of Commerce, the Harbour Board, and other local bodies and the Prime Minister regarding the situation. "Diplomatic relations" with the Minister for Public Health appear to have been almost 01 entirely broken off, and messages are now being sent to the prime Minister and Sir Joseph Ward. It was noticeable that the last message received from Mr. Russell by the Citizens' Committee, in reply to one sent to him, was signed not by Mr. Russell but by his private secretary. Tho telegrams receive? from the Prime Minister have not given satisfac-, titrn, they being regarded as too indefinite. Aucklandei's are angry, and say they want more than mere commonplace phrases. "Prove it or apologise" is the attitude taken up generally by the various bodies, and it is noteworthy that in this matter tho Employers' Association and the liabonr organisations for once are of one mind. Fear is expressed that Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward may leave for England without a settlement of the deadlock being arrived at, and tho general view seams to bo that such a thing should be avoided at all costs.