THE EPIDEMIC COMMISSION REPORT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 229, 21 June 1919, Page 7

THE EPIDEMIC COMMISSION REPORT

LIGHT ON THAT "WARNING" TO TtlE MINISTER. By Telegraph—Pro62 Association Christchurch, June 20. In reference to the portion of the finding of ilia Epidemic, Commission which was struck out at Hie request of the Government, the questions'submitted to the Commission by His Excellency were answered as follow The stiUouient in tho report ("that ho received warning") ns set out in the memorandum of His Excellency, is not correct. The words used by the Minister were: "He received no warning 1.0 prepare for an epidemic." The explanation ot the error ns made by the member of the Commission responsible for it is to be found in the fact, which willrappeur on a referenpc to tho copy of the evidence (Pago CIS) that tho word "received" and the word "no" had been, run together, making the sentence read thus: "He rcceivedno (these two words were run together) warning" instead. of "he received no warning." These words wero rend by the ineni'ber of tho Commission responsible for,tho error as "ho received warning."

Lit will bo remembered that with tlie Epidemic Commission's report, the Jli'ni§ter (Mr. Russell) made. _ a statement commenting on an error in tho report. He said:

Tho delay in Hie publication of the Epidemic Commission Report has been causcd by tho. fact that the report was referred back by the .direction of His Excellency the Governor-Genera! in coneequenco of an absolutely incorrect, reference to (he evidence given by me. ! Ou piigo'i? of the report, a.s presented,' the following ' appeared :'— The Minister, in his evidence, pays he "received warning in September to prepare for an epidemic." I'efercnce to my evidence showed (hat in two place l ; cxnclly llie contrary Was stated—namely, on pago Gl2 the following passage appears:— I now : wish to deal with the approach of the Niagara, and 1 feel it due to myself to say that no warning was given to me, as Minister of Public Health. that it was necessary ihat New Zealand should take steps ' to prepare for the possible inroad of this pandemic-to this country.' And,, further, on pago 018, fhe further statement Appears: — T do not wanl to labour the ma iter, but 1 have now to. lead up to what \ia? the position—first, that T received no warning to prepare for an epidemic.....!