THE HON. A. M. MYERS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16143, 22 February 1918, Page 7

THE HON. A. M. MYERS.

SUGGESTIONS AS TO HIS

RETIREMENT

PARTICULARS REGARDING HIS

ANTECEDENTS

MR MYERS'S REPLY

Some correspondence that lias passed between Mr Robert Sloan, an Aueklnnder. and the Hon. Arthur M. Myers (in reference to a petition to the Go-vernor-General now in circulation) has been handed to the Press. The petition, which was promoted as the result of a recent meeting of Auckland women, prays for tlie removal of "all German blood" from Government offices. Mr Sloan, in a letter to Mr Myers, said that lie had no reason to doubt the latter's loyalty, but suggested that "it might be for the country's good at the present juncture, as well as for your own good name, that you resigned your offices in the Government." .Mr Sloan cited as a precedent the resignation of Prince Louis of Battcnberg, the First Sea Lord ol' tho Admiralty, earlv in the war. Mr Myers replied to Mr Sloan in a lengthy letter (says the Auckland correspondent of the "Otago Daily Times"). He said that in comparing the Battenberg case with his Mr Sloan had entirely overlooked tho fact that "tho prince is very largely German in blood (although so loyally British in sentiment and character), whilst I am a. natural-born British subject, having been born under the British flag, and that I have not a single relative outside the British Empire." Mr Myers refers to the fact that his two brothers, who were resident in_ England when war broke out, eiitlsted, and have since been "doine their bit" for the Empire. Mr Myers proceeds: "As regards my mother, I have never heard of any relatives of hers existing in Germany. She was herself born in Germany, but (with her two sisters and two brothers, being orphans) emigrated to Australia nearly 70 years ago to join other relatives already there. Ten years afterwards thev took up their residence in New Zealand, and, as early pioneers, went through all the vicissitudes of pioneer life, possessing all the qualities of vigorous citizenship. . . .

My father's family have resided in England for over 200 years, but my grandfather went to ltussian Poland as a rabbi, whore my lather was born. He, however, returned to England whilst still a child, and there he was brought up and educated. He was a naturalised British subject before he married my mother, and emigrated to Australia about 1859. My wife is a daughter of tho late Mr B. W. Lev}-, of London, who was granted the freedom of Liverpool, Manchester, and Sall'ord in recognition of his generous gilts and services to these cities."

Mr Myers refers to the public offices that he has held, including the mayoralty of Auckland for four years, and the fact that lie has been returned to Parliament three times, as well as being member of two Ministries. With regard to his present position, he says: "I had no desire personally to become a member of the National Government, but having been requested to do so by my leader I accepted the duties in connexion with tho portfolio of Customs, Munitions, and Supplies, etc., and have done my best to further ray country's interests to the best of my ability. After two and a half years of conscicntious work as a Minister in tho present Government, during which time (by placing my business experience at the disposal of my departments) 1 have been able to save the taxpayers of this country some hundreds, of thousands of poynds, and also to place the working of my departments on a basis of thorough efficiency and smoothness; and also, having regard to the fact that (if 1 may not be thought egotistical in saying so) the great bulk of my fellow .citizens throughout the Dominion have expressed themselves as satisfied with my work as a Minister, I do not see that I should be justified, at tho instance of a few people—who, however patriotic and honest in their intention, are quite uninformed as to" my exact antecedents and _as to my British origin—in resigning my position as though there were some question as to my loyalty or as though there were any grounds at all for the suggestion you put forward in your letter."