THE CHRONICLE'S UNVER/VCITY

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11724, 27 November 1905, Page 5

THE CHRONICLE'S UNVER/VCITY

"I hear that the Premier played a very nasty trick on a Maori deputation on Thursday. afternoon. A number of prominent Maoris' attended at the Borough Council Chambers with the object of interviewing Mr Seddon .at the close of the European deputations! They waited at the main door to intercept th© "Great Father of the Maori Race," but that gentleman slyly slipped into the Mayor's toom and, emerging behind the deputation, set off at full tilt, while the natives stood open-mouthed and indignant. Yet this ia the man who prates about his interest in the Maoris and his desire to uplift them in every way. If it wasn't a bolt it certainly looked like one, and I happened to knowthat the Maoris regarded' ib as such."

The above appeared in the Chronicle on Saturday morning, among two columns x>i scurrilous abuse of the Premier contributed by their "Man on the Look-out." In view of such an unprincipled and untruthful attack on Mr Seddon, there is no need for us to mince matters, and we have no hesitation in saying that tne above aGsartion is a deliberate misstatement. It is all. the more contemptible in that the Pre-| mier's actions on the occasion in question '

have been wilfully distorted, and the story told/, in the Chronicle is one of thoss which, while wearing the semblance of truth, has nothing of truth in "it. We are used to seeing that sort of "thing in our contemporary's columns, but it is a long time since it gave us anything so characteristic as the above of the "yellow" journalism it is so prone to. What actually did occur was seen by two of our staff whose version is borne out by one of the parties interested, who being: a lady, and holding an honourable position in a leading local institution, will no doubt be- believed in preference' to our contemporary's unveracions contritirtor. In tlie first case the Premier had no notice that a native deputation wished to &cc him, and was totally unaware of the fact. Having an appointment at 5 o'clock, lie was naturally anxious to keep it, and, in fact, asked the^ deputation-, •which waited on him at the Council Chamber, to be as quick as possible. The natives, did not appear in the Council Chamber, but waited at the door, and as there were several people in the lobby, it can hardly be claimed that they^the natives) presented a deputation-like appearance. Standing in front of the Maoris, however, was the lady we have referred to, who wished to speak to the Premier. on a matter of private business. Not knowing him, she asked a friend to introduce her, which being done, she stated her business. Mr Seddon, with his usual kindliness, and wi£h that innate courtesy, conspicuous in our contemporary's contributor only by its absence", drew back into the Council Chamber to hear what she had to say, taking up a* position, by the door leading into the Mayor's room. When the interview was 6Voi;' the Premier left the Chamber — to quote the lady's words — "by what appeared the easiest way," the main door being blocked by people talking and waiting: about. ' Naturally enough, he walked through the Mayor's room, and out by the lobby door, and hurried away, not to avoid the natives as our contemporary's contributor suggests, but to keep the appointment for which he was already late. That is the £rue version of what actually took plnce, and we fancy will b& lielieved by all.

whrther Conservative or Liberal, who, being honourable and fair minded themselves, are anxious to see the best in then* fellows, iiiste id of imputing to them the qanre meanness of mind which prompts their owu petty suspicions and garbled statements. We are aware that our contemporary cannot be said lo have committed itself editorially by the statement of its contributor, but it is a great pity that it should- be so careless of its own dignity as to allow such to appear in its columns without first satisfying itself of the facts, and running its pen through the childish abuse of a man, whose splendid ability has : kept him in his present position, and enabled him to retain the confidence of the people for so many years. •