OUR WAR CORRESPONDENT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2509, 12 October 1915, Page 6

OUR WAR CORRESPONDENT

HELPING MR. ASHMEAD BARTLETT. A statement was made by the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massey) in Parliament yesterday afternoon which explains why so little .lias been heard from the New Zealand official war correspondent (Mr. Malcolm Ross).. Mr. Massey read a short paragraph from an article which recently appeared in the London "Times" weekly edition. It was headed "A Night Attack," and was from the well-known English Press representative, Sir. E. Ashniead Bartlett. Mr. Bartlett said that ho was indebted to Mr. Malcolm Ross, the' New Zealand official representative, for the . details regarding the fight by the New Zealanders on August 6, 7, and 8. The point lie was making, said Mr: Massey, wasthat apparently, as they had been instructed, Mr. Ross was not expected to send any communications of value, and' on account of that he had evidently supplied Mr. Ash'mead. Bartlett with some of the very interesting information which was later cablod out to New Zealand. The last official communication they had received from Mr. Ross was to the effect that he, along with other war correspondents, was being kept on an island, and only allowed on the mainland occasionally.

Members: What, interned?

Mr. Massey: Practically that. The articles written by liim are submitted to the censors, and when they reach New Zealand are of little value. I thought members should know of these .difficulties placed in the way of Mr. Ross.