POLITICAL SLANDER

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 852, 25 June 1910, Page 6

POLITICAL SLANDER

■ AN M.P.'S GRIEVANCES. PREMIER WILL NOT LISTEN. p IBy "Telasrapti—Press Association—Oopyrtffht Melbourne, June 24. Mr. Murray, the Stato Premier, has p .'declined. to receive a deputation from V .:a meeting which passed a resolution of r jsympathy with Mr. Robert Harper and ; others/ who, were recently acquitted of J charges arising out of the Ronald-Har- • )iper slander case... INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE. v SOME BIG FEES. - The details of tho long-drawn out scries { }t>f'charges resulting from the criticisms ♦. 'jby Mr. Robert Harper; 31.P., of the ; moral character of the Rev. J. B. Ron-! I Laid, Presbyterian minister and ex-1 iCLabour M.P., were" set out recently in j :|The poniNiox. Last week t Mr. Harper, |,who is a wealths* manufacturer and a f ?ptominent figure in t religious circles, ; I wrote to each member of the State r a letter, which-concluded; with ' : the following words:—"As a citizen and : 'as a public man who has been (with my s . eon) grievously injured ami most unjust-. j - -]y treated, I desire to ask you'as an. ». member of the Government ; you intend' to do in this matter." s.:'-; . Asked next day whether lie would make public his reply to Mr. Harper, or t ' .'/would give a statement of his attitude on the' question, ' Mr. Murray answered: "What I have to say will be said before -Parliament. Mr. .Harper has asked • : what we-intend to do in the matter. I l could answer that by another query, ! ; AVhat does Sir. Harper. intend to do in ' 'the matter of Mr. Ronald?" I.ln a formal note to Mr. HaTper, the ... /Premier expressed* his surprise at tho asked: Mr. Harper promptly ; '.wrote back:—"l have you letter of the 15th instant. It is in acknowledgment *>f, but not in reply to, mine of the 13th 'instant.' I wait a reply of a definite character to the last paragraph of iny letter of tho 13th instant." la the Melbourne papers last week it was stated that there was a strong feel•r. ;ing among members of the State Par- ' liament that some very strong protest . should be made against tho conduct of i. the Attorney-General in having presentments filed against Mr. Harper, and so !*. compelling him to go before a Criminal Court in face of the previous decision of ,Mr. Cresswell, P.M., that there was no K ! cnse against him. It was considered that /the whole circumstances of tho case i'fi?hould ibe inouired into; and that Mr. Drysdale Brown, Attorney-General, . should- be called- upon to dve_ an exi planation of his action. The "Premier " says he is satined that his colleague acted '.without: bja«. He says that as Mr. Brown acted in a judicial capacity the Cabinet had'nothing at all to do with his decision in the ca«e. For the last series- of .charges it. may 'be accepted that the foes received bv • icounsM were:—Mr. Purves, K.C., .£1200; 'J, "Mr. G. S. Bryant. OOOgns. This by no means represents the total expenditure; ;for while Mr. JVoinarski, Crown Prosecntor, was engaged in the case the ordinary Crown briefs were given out tn members of the Bar. In addition tho ■ shorthand notes alone will probably run : to over «£SOO.