THE PEACE DEPUTATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1377, 1 March 1912, Page 4

THE PEACE DEPUTATION.

COOKE'S REJOINDER. (Ej Tdceraph—Press Association.! Cnristchurch, February 29. Comrade F. 1(. Conk; lakes exception to the telegraphed reno/t of his remarks concerning Sir Joseph Ward's reception of the peace deputation. He says that •ill he said at the Soc'alistV meeting iv.is that Sir Joseph Ward received a depntulion .sympathetically, and expressed sorrow that boys lmii b«-en imprisoned. C'ooke denies that he repented Sir Joseph Ward's remarks. He recognised that the deputation was a private one.

Further reference was made in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon to the subject of the anti-militarist deputation which was recently received by the I'i-iir.e Minister. Sir Joseph Ward read <i letter from tho Council of the National Anti-Militarist Association, C'hrMchurch, stating that the statement published by the Christchurch "Evening News" as having been made by Mr. 1 , . Cooke was not in accordance with the facts. The council was assured by Mr. Cooko and three other persons that he had not made the statement that the deputation was pledged to secrecy. The letter added that by attributing the statement to Mr. Cooke, the "Evening News" had been actuated by the dual object of discrediting the present Government and the Anti-militarist Council. "Of course, tho 'Evening News' would not discredit mo," tht) Prime Minister remarked.

"The 'livening News' is one of tho most scurrilous rags in New Zealand, and an oif-shoot of a squatter-owned paper."