THE GOVERNOR ANGRY.

North Otago Times, Volume CIV, Issue 13786, 24 January 1917, Page 3

THE GOVERNOR ANGRY.

» OEDEBS REMOVAL OF PRESSMAN. INCIDENT AT OHRISTCHURGH, The Clivistcliurcn Sun of a recent date coutains tho following:— Experiences out of the ordinary often fall. in the way of pressmen, but, generally speaking, unfailing courtesy is met with. An experience met with by a Sun representative to-day was one of the most extraordinary and certainly the most humiliating which has ever fallen to the lot of that particular person,

j Instructions had been given" to him to journey to tho A, "and P. Association's Bhow grounds at Addington to visit a camp there of members of the ambulance staff of the Hospital Ship Maheno. This corps is undergoing the finishing touches to its training preparatory to the departure of the vessel. The proximity of the camp to the city and the opportunity thus afforded of studying and portraying the life and training which the Dominion troops now undergo was an exceptional one, and also ono in which the public is keenly interested in and have, of course, a right to know. On arrival at the encampment, it was found that the troops were being officially inspected by bis Excellency the Governor, the Earl of Liverpool. 'With him were his aide-de-camp and Colonel R, W. Anderson, the camp commandant, and his adjutant,, Major W. N. Bond. '

' Of tills inspection, the Sun representative was an interested spectator, and made several written notes of the excellout bearing of the- .men, the smartness of their appearance, and their excellent physique. The men were each presented with a lanyard, which his Excellency.. personally affixed to each particular soldier ! s shoulder. ■ While this inspection was in progress it was of course impossible for the Sun representative to acquaint the adjutant, Major Bond, of his identity and business, but occasion presented itself and opportunity was taken to disclose this information to his Excellency 's aide-de-camp. The inspection and formal ceremony concluded, the men were given the command to stand easy. His Excellency then addressed a. few words to 'the men, pointing but that previous draffs had set a high standard and that the corps liad thus a reputation to live up to. After speaking in this strain for a few minutes, during which the Sun representative made a short written note of the utterances, his Excellency spoke on the (movements of the hospital , ship after leaving New •Zealand. Information of this sort cannot be published, of course, by the War Regulations, and the reporter, recognising this fact, placed his notebook back in his pocket, "That Man There!"

He had no sooner done this, when his presence was evidently brought to his Excellency's notice for the first time, who, pointing to him, said; "That man there! lsamn it, what is be doing here?" ■ This information, of course, was promptly supplied—it may be explained that the whole of the remarks were addressed and replies given in the hearing of the assembled troops. The Bun representative replied that he was a pressman. "Then, why the / hell are you here? Damn it, by what right?" came the forceful and heated reply of .his interrogator. "I was not aware that I was doing anything wrong, sir!" was the pressman's rejoinder. "Damn it, some of my remarks to the men here have been on confidential matters," was his Excellency's retort.

"I recognise that, sir," was the reporter's reply, "and for that reason refrained from noting them," Again came a stormy rejoinder from his Excellency, which bore down the Suu representative's explanation of his prosence, and the fact that the aide-de-camp had been aware of his identity, His Excellency concluded with: "Take that man out and off the premises.'' ' Lis, in compliance with this order, the Sun representative was being escorted off the scene, ho whs overtaken by Major Bond, who quite courteously demanded that the shorthand notes of liis Excellency's speech should be handed over to him on behalf ol his Excellency. These notes were promptly handed over, and the incident ended with the departure of our. representative.