KEITH MURDOCH’S REPLY.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 May 1920, Page 3

KEITH MURDOCH’S REPLY.

TO lAN HAMILTON

(Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 17

Keith Murdoch, commenting on General lan Hamilton’s reference to him, contained in th e cable, published this morning, in connection with Hamilton’s Gallipoli diary, says:— “In September, the Dardanelles expedition had reached the most desperate of its many crises. - The few fresh Australian and New Zealand troops coming forward were being used up by Hamilton in an isolated offensive. Winter was coming on and the poorness of the supplies was in keeping with a lack of supplies from London. I have a perfectly clear conscience as to what I did. I went to London and hit Hamilton as hard as I po/ssbly could. Tho British Cabinet recalled Jiim within a week, my report being discussed by it. ; He was not again employed. I had ( the confidence, not only of the Australian Cabinet, but also of the British. The way they had been kept in the dark about the truth of Gallipoli remains, to my mind, one of the worst, •because one of the most dishonest incidents in tho muddling of those days. I bevaii with Carson, the Chairman of the Dardanelles Committee.” Murdoch was put through thorough cross examination by Carson, who placed the statement before Cabinet, and Murdoch met all the members of the Cabinet singly, except Mr Asquith, who broke two' appointments, A-^ copy of bis report to Mr Fisher was supplied to Mr Asquith and was printed as a secret, paper by Mr Asquith. Cabinet Ministers, continues Mr Murdoch, told me Sir Charles Monroe’s report bore out my report with striking similarity as to ; the main facts, Murdoch denies breaking bjs censorship pledge. He wrote. | nothing for publication without the con-' ! 'soiship. There was nothing to the Prime Minister of Australia,, and his letter to him compelled the Coalition Cabinet to make tip its mind.and send bnt new generals, Monro and Kitchener, who at once agreed that evacuation was necessary. Hamilton’s statement hat he thought the Turks better men than those fighting him, was a fabrication- -