RE-ISSUE OF BOOK

Southland Times, Issue 21896, 23 December 1932, Page 2

RE-ISSUE OF BOOK

CRITICISMS DELETED. REFERENCES TO GOVERNOR. London, December 5. Lady Angela St. Clair-Erskine’s book, “Fore and Aft,” which was recalled by the publishers last month, has been revised and reissued. The criticisms of Sir Philip Game, as Governor of New South Wales, have been deleted. In the first edition, Lady Erskine declared that Sir Philip made “extremely indiscreet” remarks, and in his relations with Mr Lang “showed weaknesses, obstinacy, vacillation, and conciliation to the point of servility.” She now goes to the other extreme, and declares: “The anti-Lang feeling was so strong that the Governor’s quite ordinary courtesies were liable to misinterpretation. It must have been an almost superhuman task to maintain a strictly neutral attitude. Apparently Sir Philip timed his intervention to a nicety, and the policy of giving Mr Lang sufficient rope with which _to hang himself was a most effective method of dealing with him. The flickering fire against Sir Philin blazed up when he appointed as Legislative Councillors some whose dossiers would not bear examination.” Lady Erskine’s reference to mistaking Lady Game for a lady-in-wait-ing is retained, and she adds of Lady Game: “Her nerves are terribly jaded, and her restlessness devastates her entourage.” The reference to Sir Philip Game s conversation \t dinner has been deleted, and the author now declares: “He showed signs of strain, and was jaunty, but not gay, as if determired to escape from the grim atmosphere of Sydney by sheer will power.” The honours list correspondence between Mr Bavin and the Governor is published without comment. The book contains maty misprints and evidences of carelessiess.