A REPORTER'S EXPERIENCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14195, 12 January 1917, Page 5

A REPORTER'S EXPERIENCE.

, INCURS ANGER OF THE y GOVERNOR. STRANGE ; SCENE AT MAHENO *■- . ;• •-. : aa.MP. (SiiPfitsl to tne Herald.) OHftpISTCHURCHi, this day.7 In a prominent, part of the 'paper, and under the following heading, ., "Ordered .Off ! Lord Ijive'rpool Angrjr — An Extraordinary Outburst— Sun Reporter Removed' from Mahcno Qtmp — Violent Gubernatorial Language," the Sun last 'night published' • the loLov/ing: — Experieneea out of the ordinary often fall in the **vay of pressmen, but generally .speaking unfailing courtesy is usually met with. However, an experience met with by a Sun representative to-day was one of the most extraordinary ' ahd certainly the most humiliating which has eVer fallen to the lot oi that particular person. ' Instructions • had been -given to him to journey to the A. and 'P. Association's showj grounds at Addingjgni to visit a camp there of members of the ambulancel staff of tho 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, ana the opportunity thus Afforded of studying and portraying the life, and training -which the Dominion troops 'now', underg'o, was an exceptional one, and also one which the; public is keenly interested in and has 'of course a right to know. On arrival at the encampment it was found that the troops were 1 being officially inspected by His' Excellency the Governor, the Earl of - Liverpool. With him were his aide-de-camp and Colonel R- W. Anderson, the camp commandant, aiid 'his adjutant, Major W. N. Bond. Of this inspection the) Sun representative was an interested spectator, ' and made several written notes of the excellent bearing of the men, the smartness of their appearance, and their excellent physique. The meh were each' preserntd Avith. a. lanyard' which his Excllency personally affixed to" each particular soldier's shoulder. While this infection was in progress it was of course impossible for the Sun representative to acquaint the adjutant, Major Bond, of his identity and business, but an occasion presented itself j and an opportunity was" taken to disclose this information to His Excellency's aideMle-camp. 1 The 'inspection and formal ceremony concluded, the men were given the command to stand easy.] His Excellency then addressed a f efw words to the men, pointing, out that pveVious drafts had set a high standard, .and tliity the' dorps hadi thus a, reputation to Hive up to. After^, speaking in this strain for* a few minutete, during which tlia 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,- as provided by the War Regulations, and the report*.', recognising; this ' fact/ placed his notebook back in his pocket. Hfe had no sooner done this when his presence was dvidtently brought to - His Excellency's notice:; for the first time, and pointing to him, he said/ "That man there ! Damn it,' what is he jdoing here?" * This ■•information-' of l ooftrse Was promptly sup-, plied. ' It may. be . explained, that the whole of the remarks were addressed and replies given in the hearing of the assffrilbled troops. 1 ' The, Sun reporter replied 'that h'e was a pressman. •s'Then why the hell are you here? Damn it. by what right?" came tho foi-ceful and* heated query of his interrogator. ' x. "I was not aware that I was doing anything wrong, sir !" was^ the pressman's rejoinder. > 1 ''Damn it. some' of my remark-s to the men here have been on confidential matters," Was His Excellency's retort. ;,■'■'£•. re >gnise that; sir," was the reporter's l'eply, "and for that reason refrained froni noting them.' , Again, name a strorig rejoinder from His Excellency, which Dore down the Sun reporter's explanation of ' his presenqe and the fact that' the aide-de-camp had been aware of his identity. ' \ j Ms ExcellencY concluded with, "Take that man out aiid off the premises." j As in compliance with this order the 1 Sun reporter -was being escorted off the scene, he was overtaken by Major Bond, who 'quite, courteously demanded that the shorthand. note* <of/ His Excellences speech should be handed over to him on behalf of His Excellency., These notes were pronptlv handed over and the incident ended with the departure of our' representative. . . ft may be added that the .rem-efventa-tive referred to is a returned soldiqr, a yoqnii; mai^who'saw considerable service on Gallinoli, and was wounded there, and invalided' ib.*cfc.;ta Now Zealand on account of his wounds.