SOMEBODY BLUNDERED AT DUNEDIN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7057, 19 February 1910, Page 1

SOMEBODY BLUNDERED AT DUNEDIN

BUT WHO WAS IT? SLIGHT UPON THE PRIME MINISTEB. SPECIAL TO THE " TIMKB." DUNEDIN, February 18. The town is full of talk of tho fiasco at the railway station last night, when tho Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, who hail arrived with Field-Marshal Lord Kitchener from tho youth, was not given a seat in any of the carriages whicn passed in the profession tmutigh tho town'. The Mayor, Mr Walker, has a long explanation in the "Star," the trend of wuieh. is an attempt to throw blame on the military authorities. He declared that both fair Joseph Ward una. uoionei Kobin promised to telegraph from the Bluff as to whom fjord Kitchener wished to be seated with here, but this promis-e was never kept. On thu visitor's arrival at the railway station last night, and in default of any communication from the authorities, it was decided that the first carriage should contain Lord Kitchener and his principal staff officer, the Mayor aud his chief executive oilicer: Sir Joseph Ward was complaisant aud offered to take any place in the procession. While regretting that any untoward omission had occurred, h° (the Mayor) would not accept any responsibility under the circumstances. \ Sir Joseph, who was evidently piqued at the scant courtesy shown him, doolinod to make any reference to the in cideut when Approached to-day. The "Star" comments upon the incident as follows:—"It has been the subject of much remark to-day that tuose responsible for the arrangements committed a great, oversight in not extending an invitation to members of the Legislature. No member of either branch ireeeived an invitation. The Hon. J. A. Millar, who, besides being a lo.val member, is a Minister of the Crown, was known to bo in Dunwliti. «nd ttki other local members, wax nob even nctified of the function. He wa ( s present, but had perforce to do honour to Lord Kitchener as an ordinary sightseer From inquiries made, and from the mere fact that the members of the Defence Council were left to their own resources, the attempt to place the responsibility on the defence authorities is unfair in the extreme." The "Star" also refers editorially to the incident as a veryunfortunate one, and says that \he municipal authorities should own up to their blunder.