THE ARMISTICE NEWS
MR. MASSEY TELLS THE PACTS.
A statement regarding the holding back of the news of the signing of the armistico with Germany was made by the Prime Minister in the House of. Representatives yesterday. Mr. Witty asked why the news had been suppressed here in view of the fact that it Had been published in Australia. The news was known by the public in Australia at ten o'clock in tho evening, and in New Zealand the announcement was not made until the following morn"''.flic Primo Minister said that a number of statements had been made in regard to this matter which were contrary to fact. The iirst news came to him personally about midnight. It was unofficial, and in view of the fiasco that had occurred about the news of the Austrian armistice, when unofficial news was subsequently contradicted, ho could not soe his way to make public the message which he Wl received, lie decided to wait for the official information. The official news came to His Excellency 'the Governor-General about two in the morninu'. ami it was received by him (the Prime Minister) about half an how later. The Government had previously decided that if the news came during the night a gun was to bo fired in the city at fl o'clock the following morning. He had arranged to have telegraphed to every office in New Zealand the two words, "Armistice eigned," and so the .news was given at the same time to all the peoplo in the country. This was exactly what had happened. Of. course, he was aware that there was some leakage of the information. A crowd of peoplo had come up to his house and sung songs outside' his gate. An hon. member: Did you go out to them ? ' Mr. Massoy: No, but if they had come in I should have been very glad to see them. An hon. member: Did they have a cab waiting? (Laughter.)
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Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 61, 6 December 1918, Page 4
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327THE ARMISTICE NEWS Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 61, 6 December 1918, Page 4
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