Sir Hector Macdonald.

Manawatu Herald, 21 April 1903, Page 2

Sir Hector Macdonald.

COMMENTS BY A CEYLON NEWSPAPER.

The “ Ceylon Observer " received by mail, in an article on the death of Sir Hector says:—“Hr is easy to be wise after the event. Had the catastrobbe at Paris been anticipated, there would indeed have been reason for the public statement thet was made in answer to a question in the local Legislative Council, but it must be remembered that the pub* lio information from England that

Sic Hector Macdonald bad made up his mind to return to Ceylon and face a court-martial, with all the public scandal it envolved, made it absolutely necessary that some official information as to his exact position should be given to allay public ex* citoment.

“ Major Prasch and other critics may take our word that a scandal of this kind occurring in India or Cey* 1m involves much greater consequences affecting the prestige of the ruling race and of the Government than would be caused in the United .Kingdom. - *Vp?ho more the facts are known, the more must Sir Joseph West Ridgeway’s conduct from first to last be subject of praise, rather than condemnation. He saved the situation locally by persuading the unhappy deceased ter leave the island at the ‘earliest moment. Had wiser counsels prevailed there never would have been any thought of return to Ceylon,; whatever other course might be adopted. “ Much has been made of the fact that the unhappy deceased was seen perusing the Paris edition of the “ New York Herald “ with Sir J. W. Ridgeway’s remarks immediately before he took his life, but we fail to see that there was any statement or fact in those remarks which was not known to the reader already.. Both press and public behaved under extraordinary circumstances with the greatest possible restraint. ' “In view of Reuter’s surprising telegram of March 22nd, conveying Sir Hector 'Macdonald’s determination to return to the island, apart from the fact that the, public had a eight to know the exact position regarding so high an official as t the Major-General commanding ! the Forces, the silence of the Government would have bred suspicion and controversy and excitement, calculated to d> more harm than the simple and considerate statement made in the Legislature.’’