MR. HORNSBY AND THE RETURNED SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2569, 17 September 1915, Page 7

MR. HORNSBY AND THE RETURNED SOLDIERS

(To the Editbr.)

Sir, —I was not surprised that you should seek ■to perpetuate the unworthy and totally untruthful aspersion attempted to be fastened upon me. by the Hon. Minister of Defence. . Your journal has been notorious from its inception for that sort of thing where anyone not seeing eye-to-eyo with you is concerned; Not even in tho .remotest way did I seek to reflect upon any of the tuiwounded men who returned by tho Tahiti. I sought to rescue all and every otie of them from the evil report that had' already been circulated_far and wide, and I asked that the Minister should clear up the whole matter in the interests of "Hie men. The Minister of Defence (Mr. Allen) attacked me in a grossly unfair manner, and when I tell you that I am now in a position to state that it was Mr. Allen himself who made the remark which started the whole of the rumours you will, perhaps, understand my indignation. Mr. Allen stated'to a number of persons that the unwounded men to the liumber of over 200 had developed, in Egypt, "military rheumatism, or, otherwise, cold feet," you will, perhaps, understand why I am intensely indignant. ,1 ask for an inquiry. The editor of the "Post" also asks for an inquiry. Shall we have itP —I am etc., J. T. M. HORNSBY. tMr. Homsby's remarks in Parliament and our' comment thereon are too fresji in our readers' minds to call for any answer to his reference to us. We have, however, submitted his assertion regarding the Minister of Defence to that gentleman, aiid Mr. Allen's reply is emphatic. "I deny absolutely," he said, f'that I ever used such words— 'military rheumatism' or 'cold feet.' I deny that I ever made any such remark."]