ARRESTED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2133, 16 July 1907, Page 1

ARRESTED.

d. c. Mclntyre at monte video. A PRISON INTERVIEW. A cablegram to the Commissioner of Police has already advised us of the arrest at Monto Video of J). C. Mclntyre, in consequence of certain charges preferred against him in Christchurch. Detailed information is now to hand through the medium of a correspondent of ' the Christchurch Press who writes as follows from Monte Video under date Ist May: Not many days had passed since the R.M.S. Turakina drew out from the wharf at Wellington on her last homeward voyage ere several people on hoard her became aware that among their fellow-passengers was Mi. Mclntyre. The late Director of Exhibits at the New Zealand International Exhibition was travelling steerage, and was known to those who struck up a casual acquaintance with him as Mr. Mack. This name, in fact, was the one under which lie sailed, and though, as a result of his having obtained a berth at the eleventh hour, it did not appear upon the printed list of passengers which was handed round, it was written upon the corrected list held by the purser. Though he was seldom seei. on deck during the first week out, it eventually became Mr. Mclntyre’s custom to take a walk between 5130 and 0 p.m.. and it was while thus employed that your correspondent iirst got into conversation with him. At the outset Mr. Mclntyre was agreeable to bo interviewed ill the regular manner, but lie subsequently changed his mind and said that lie preferred to hand over a written statement. In the course or conversation, however, lie averred that the true reason for his sudden departure from New Zealand was that he got into such financial dinicnltios privately, and was being so hard pressed by some of his creditors, that he did not think there was anything olse for it but to effect a prompt change in bis address. H.e only regretted that he had not gone bankrupt before the Exhibition opened, and so placed himself in apposition to make a fresh start. To do so however, meant the loss of all chance of the appointment, which lie eventually obtained, and it was this consideration that caused him to determine to struggle qn.

McINTYBE’S INTENTIONS. So far as Iris connection with the Exhibition was concerned, ho was satisfied that lie would come out or the affair with credit. Asked as to what his intentions were as to the future, Mr. Mclntyre said that m view of his experience in the produce trade he felt pretty confident of obtaining a billet in England, where he fully expected some important letters would await him. It is practically unquestionable that England was Mclntyre’s goal. This, however, he was not destined to reach as the Acting-British Consul at Monte Video had received instructions from the Home Government to arrest him The Turakina had not long dropped her anchor, and was lyin'" about two miles from the shore, when a tug hove in sight, and naturally everybody executed that she was conveying the port’s medical officer. 11l this, however, all were mistaken, as sbe came in connection with the arrest of Mclntyre. But owing to some bungling in regard to the necessary papers, sbe had to return without the absconding New Zea- , lander, and instead of vetting ashore at about D.dO a.iu., as those who were anxious to visit A ideo anticipated doing, nobody set foot upon South American soil until late in the afternoon. The delay was partially 3 the outcome of an inexcusable error ’ ou the part, it is to be presumed, of ’ some member or members of the New 3 Zealand detective force; an error. " too, that might simple have been attended with most serious consequences. The British Consul received

word that Mclntyre was travelling under the name of Wilcox, and ltwas not until Mr. Wilcox, the manager of the Loan and Mercantile produce department at Christchurch had been identified by both the captain of the Turakina iiml Mr. h lshcr, a well-known solicitor of Chiistchurch, that the authorities were persuaded that they had got hold or the wrong mail. Mclntyre went ashore with the other passengers, and only a few even of those who knew something of liis story '' ere aware that he was under arrest. AFTER THE ARREST. . Your correspondent made it Ins first business, after landing, to call upon the British Consul, through whose extreme kindness and courtesy he was enabled to interview Meintvre at the prison during-the iollou - ing morning. Prisons in -Lruguaj are run on vastly different lines from those in New Zealand, and had McIntyre not had the actio" British Consul, Mr. C. E. R. Rowland, as a strong friend in court, he would have experienced a very uncomfortable time of it indeed. In the ordinary course of tliin"s he would have been herded with the lowest class of criminals of various nationalities, have had no blankets, let aloitk a bed, to sleep in, and his sole suste-

nance would have consisted of a dish 'of macaroni per diem. Apart from the macaroni,, some water, and a bare floor, the Uruguayan authorities provide nothing for those ivlio transgress the laws of the republic. All extras have to be purchased. Mr. [ Rowland arranged that Mclntyre 'should pass tho first ni'dit in one of the warder’s quarters, after which still more comfortable quarters woidd bo found him. A bed and bedding were purchased, and payment made to ensure Mclntvro having proper food. Mr. Howland strongly urged Mclntyre to give into his custody any valuables or money that lie possessed, and in reply Mclntyre handed over a presentation watch and about £4 in money, which he asserted was all that lie had with him. It was about noon on the day after tho Turakina’s arrival that your correspondent, in company with Mr. Howland, visited tho prison, and after tho latter had conversed in

Spanish with the chief warder, McIntyre was sent for, and our meeting took place in a small hall just near the main entrance. Mclntyre said lie had passed the night in moderate comfort, and that he found the wartiers that he had met anxious to do

all they could for him. He expressed considerable surprise at his arrest, which he thought had been brought about by a money-lender,. to whom lie .stated lie had been paying £2O pel

month ns interest on a debt of £IBO. In this, however, he was mistaken, for, as a matter of fact,' the arrest was effected at tile instigation of Mr. Mnnro, who charged Mclntyre with

defalcations to the amount of £35. On being asked whether lie eared to say anything about the matter, McIntyre made the following remarks, which, if containing nothing of special interest, at least made clear his

den of the position, so far as lie nul Mr. Munro were concerned. A ST AT JSM J3N T.

“In the official notice of the Exhibition it was advertised that all exhibits would ho judged, and that Micro would ho three judges, one appointed hy the Exhibition authorities, one hy the exhibitors, and a third hy the two already in office. Subsequently the Awards Committee met and decided that this system should he done awav with, and that exhibitors should receive a certificate

of award. In addition to this, they practically appointed a journalist from Wellington to report on the whole of the exhibits and to recommend certain awards. This agreement, however, was not acted upon, and about six ur seven weeks before the close of the Exhibition, when the exhibitors began to complain if dilatoriness in the matter of making awards, and commenced to write let-

;ers to the papers about the subject, [ saw Mr. Munro, who told me that [ had better see the Minister then in

■•barge. Mr. Ifowlds then instructed no to prepare a schedule for classifi:ation of the exhibits, together with •ules and regulations for judging.

These' I duly drew up, having gathered mv data from previous exhibitions, and also from information obtained from Messrs Arthur Day, H. J Scott, the Canadian Commissioners, and other gentlemen who had had long experience in connection with exhibitions. The results of my

labors were placed before Mr. Fowlds and Mr. John Anderson, Chairman of the Awards Committee, eacli of whom approved of them. Mr. Fowlds, if mv memory serves me right, actn-

•illy initialling the copy. This could he obtained from the Spectator office, where the printing was done, as they had mv copy. I subsequently discussed the. matter of single judges with Mr. Munro, who thought that, on the score of expense, such would be best. This matter was also debated with Mr. Fowlds and Mr. Anderson, and as there were then only six weeks at our disposal a conclusion was arrived at to the . effect that no other system would permit of the work being got through'. These judges were instructed by me to judge on merit, and recommend awards. MAKING THE AWARDS. Mr. Fowlds instructed me to call ,i meeting of the exhibitors, and to discuss with them the rules for judging, and I accordingly addressed them bv circular. I then showed a copy of the rules, and also of the circular calling the exhibitors togc-; liter, to Mr. Munro, the latter of which Mr Munro signed, thus clearly proving that lie must have been aware of the business of the meeting. At tile meeting which was thus brought about there were over 200 exhibitors present, when tlio . rules were gone through one by one, and the whole of them were approved. As going to show liow satisfactory tile rules and the subsequent judging were, i may mention that out of about 1300 awards only 7 (seven) were protested against. It should be understood that each award was approved of bv the Minister held re bein' l ' made public. 1 several times asked Mr. Munro for advice upon matters in connection with the awards, and on each occasion he said lie knew nothing about them, and invariably appeared to consider the matter one of very little importance. For six weeks prior to the closing of the Exhibition, I was working from 14 to 10 hours a day, endeavoring to get the judging through, and the only fooling shown with respect to the awards made was in connection with the exhibits of wines and spirits. . _ Right through the Exhibition 1 put all mv energy into my department, and I think that the completeness of it on the opening day showed pretty clearly that a great deal of work had been done bv somebody. Knowing that there have been certain differences of opinion expressed as to Mr. Mclntyre’s position and powers, your correspondent questioned him as to the method of his appointment. In answer, Mr Mclntyre said that, by direction of the Minister, Mr. Munro sent him a letter informing him of his appointment as superintendent of awards.