VISIT TO CHRISTCHURCH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16003, 20 February 1914, Page 5

VISIT TO CHRISTCHURCH.

A BUSY DAY. ANSWERS TO CRITICISM. ; (Pes United Pbess Association.) CHEISTCHUECH, February 19. The. Hon. W. A. Holman, Premier of New South Wales, spent a very busy day sight-seeing in Christchurch. This morning lie, with Mrs Holman, paid visits to the art gallery, museum, gardens, Provincial Council Chambers, tepid bathe, and Express Company's buildings in order to see the view from the roof. This afternoon, after 'a short pleasure jaunt upon the river, Mr and Mrs Holman attended the Victoria League garden party, and afterwards were entertained by Mr G. W. Russell, M.P. They left for Wellington by this evening's boat. Mr Holman this morning visited the hostel for girls at the Technical School. •

Asked if he wished to make any comment on the criticisms by the Sydney press of his recent utterances at Wellington , Mr Holman said that the only obser- , ; vation that occurred to him was that the naive acceptance by the Sydney press of the condensed renort as conveying the true purport of his remarks at Wellington still surprised him. Probably a dozen sentences .taken from his speech had been" cabled over, and upon the suggestion conveyed in these the criticisms had been' based. The man in the street might bo pardoned for assuming that a cabled.report faithfully reproduces a speaker's meaning, but the press itself ought to know better. It was impossible, he added, to carry on a controversy at a distance of 1200 miles, and he had nothing to say except that apparently the Sydney newspapers on this occasion had"* spoken without any warrant. Interviewed regarding the Sydney Sun's comment on his absence from Sydney, Mr Holman stated that it was difficult from a cabled summary to tell the exact tone of the Sun's criticism, but he had been in constant touch with his colleagues, and was not informed by them that there was any urgent need of his presence, whereas his personal attention to business in Wellington was absolutely necessary. There had been no boat from Wellington for a; week, and he was catching the next steamer.