WILD RUMOURS DENIED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2372, 30 January 1915, Page 8

WILD RUMOURS DENIED

: ALLS3EDJIURDERS IN CAIRO BS3XMI GENERAL GODLEY ' (BjfJCWeenwlh.—Pre® Association.) ! Dunedin, January 29. ; • .'A! reporter who called on the Hon. i J! Allen, Minister of Defence, to-day ' Vas informed by him that information iram Egypt was to the effect that ; lthere was.no truth whatever in the.ro- : jported murder of two New Zealanders f. in Cairo..Mr. Alien said.: —"Newspapers : have been publishing information to the ' isffect that two New Zealanders were • frilled in, Egypt • because they had in- ! -raited: Egyptian, women. I would not this to be correct. I stated so ■ to Press representatives, and my statement was published. I was certain that • General Godley would have supplied me i with information if aiiy such information was to be given. Every death that has taken place he has reported to me, and i will continue to do so. I have had no . such report from him, and yet this publication has been made. I cabled to : General Godley this.week as follows:— ; , >C Newspapers here report one New Zealander's throat cut in low quar- | *ter Cairo about December 11, also f- - J second New Zealander stabbed, to j death for removing woman's veil. \ Please/ cable confirmation or other-. •• .".wise aid names'of victims.r .."General Godley's reply is as follows, | " (feted : January 28:— 'No shadow of foundation ■ for, i newspaper reports. Our men ara on t- the. best of terms-with Egyptians. -. :• ' ' "It :is'; very difficult for me to know 'Ipsactly what to say about this matter," : Hmt I feel very strongly that the Press I Association which circulated this infor- : -(nation, should justify to the public ; flteir right ■to circulate it.' Tliey de- | rived it from somebody (I do riot know • from who),' but I think they owe it to ! Jfw 'Zealarid' to pirore to the bottom i of, supply. .Not. only is4t-a. elander upon our New Zealand, troops,' but it is the»sort. .of . thing-that the ! enemies of our country and of the Era- : pire wouldldo, • arid not our friends. • Enemies who want to stir up strife be- ; tween NeW ' Zealandfers and Egyptians would start and circularise lying : rumours of the kind, i I feel I cannot ' allow the raa.tter.', to ;rest. where it is, v ■ and I believer,that. the. PressJitself, will %e just-as! anxious as I ain to set. the 1 matter' right'; if .-'it• is possible nowto do so rand. .to-,.prevent any such thing ; oocnrring:in the future.?' p AUSTRALIAN COMMENT. j ißj Merrapli—Pres3 Association—Oiprrisht i' ; (Rec.' January- 30, 1.35 a.m.)' V, Sydney, January 29. / The'"Daily Telegraph" says that the Bfeiteinent made by the Minister of Be-- ; . fence'in disproof- of the widely-current' ; report that a" New Zealand trooper was ! 'kuled for.-lifting the veil of an Egyptian i. woman. will, doubtless, set' at. rest, a : rtipiour which had left an extremely dis ; agreeable impression; "Circumstantial ( evidence," says 1 the paper, "is wholly I against- the idea,that' so gross an ofi fence was' perpetrated} and some other [' charges regarding the conduct of the i troops may also prove to be exagger- !- atei. It is. ,to. be hoped that they will. f -There';is sometimes too much readiness ' to accept statements derogatory to men i sent .to distant countries, and if they are i soldiers people emphasise the statements • .jritb. sensational additions."