THE BLACK PAMPHLET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14729, 11 July 1911, Page 9

THE BLACK PAMPHLET.

A/.'STATEMENT. DENIED.

iBT TELEGRAPH.-— PRE 93 ASSOCIATION.] Rotortta, Monday. The Hon. Geo. Fowlds (Minister for Edtt.' cation), who is at present at Kotorua; waa' seen by a reporter this evening in regard to a paragraph that appeared on the sth inst. in a Southern newspaper, reading as follows:-" The Hon. Geo. Fowlds has reiterated on a public platform a charge that Mr Massey, Leader of the Opposition, lathered an unauthorised biography of Sir Joseph Ward.'' Mr. Fowlds remarked that it seemed to him that at. the present time the Opposition speakers and newspapers were prepared to go to any length in the matter of misstatements. Regarding the particular statement referred to, it was without the slightest foundation ini fact. On the contrary, what he did say, in effect, when speaking on the matter,, was that he had never heard Mr. Massey blamed personally for having, had anything to do with the, inceotion or circulation of the Black Pamphlet, . but that 1 the indictment against the Opposition generally was that, whilst they knew it was in circulation, and that their party were likely to benefit from it, they took no steps to condemn it. ■ - That was, Mr. Fowlds added, quite a different statement from the one . now . being circulated ;by Opposition -newspapers. ; ~.v , ;•.