Sydney’s Pro-Boer Professor

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 401, 28 April 1902, Page 4

Sydney’s Pro-Boer Professor

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, April 26.

The cable referring to Professor Wood’s article in the Manchester Guardian has caused a largo amount of adverse criticism. Some newspapers have published severe strictures on Mr Wood. In a letter to the press he says his article covered two or three columns, and the cable agent condensed it into four sentences by selecting a few phrases which he considered would be of most service to his employers, and give most pleasure to their readers. In a spirited defence he says the endeavor of the letter was to make a statement of what be seemed to think on the whole would be public opinion in New South Wales, especially Sydney, as expressed b,y politicians and newspapers, on the war. His professorship did not debar him from political discussion. Ho understood he had the right of freedom of speech. He would have been a crayen coward if in defence of what he believed to be right he had forbore to speak' for fear of inevitable abuse and misrepresentation. The State Premier poqsiders Professor Wood’s statements unguarded, and contain references to a largo section of the community absolutely without foundation. They are a serious libel on a large section of the community who have proved their loyalty and devotion to the Empire.