MR. BAYLEY’S STATEMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1933, 30 January 1919, Page 3

MR. BAYLEY’S STATEMENTS.

BINDING OF THE COMMITTEE. The full text of the finding of the committee at AATmganui—Mr C. E. Mackay (Mayor), Rev. H. L. Blamires, and Mr N. C. AA’oods —concerning certain statements made by Mr AAA D. Bayley at Palmerston North, is as follows: —At-the conclusion of Saturday night’s meeting they met Mr Bayley and asked him on what authority he had made the statements. He answered that he had made them on the information supplied to him by a returned New Zealand officer, hut declined to disclose the name until he had seen his informant, and obtained his permission. The committee then adjourned till Monday morning, having first received Mr Bayley’s promise to proceed to the officer’s residence by motor on Sunday morning with a view to obtaining the necessary permission. On Monday morning Mr Bayley met the committee and reported that lie had seen his informant, who was willing lo have his name disclosed to the committee, and would hear out Mr Bayley’s statement as to having supplied the latter with the information ,ou which he had acted. Mr Bayley then gave the committee in confidence the name ami address, which the committee verified as that of a New Zealand officer who had been wounded on active service and was now discharged and in busi--ness. He was at mice telegraphed lo at length and asked whether he had made a statement to Mr Bayley as alleged, and if so whether lie would allow his name lo he published. Last night a reply was received from him to (he effect that he had given Mr Bayley information as alleged, but preferring not to allow his name lo be made public. The committee have (herofore on (he fads adduced come to the conclusion that Air Bayley’s statements were made on information supplied to him by a returned officer which he believed to hi 1 true. At the same time the commit Ice feel that in making the statement Mr Bayley committed a grave error of judgment. He should have remembered that he was a visitor to New Zealand, that his reference to Ibe mutter would evoke deep and bitter resentment not merely among our soldiers, but among every patriotic Mew Zealander; and (tint: if challenged he would have great difficulty in verifying Ids statements. ■ The eoimnit(ee append to their report a letter tendered lo them by Mr Bayley during the course of (he enquiry. Attached lo the report was the following letter from Mr Bayley:— Regarding the Palmerston North incident under your consideration. 1 have given you in confidence, with ins permission, the name and address of the officer from whom J (earned of the incident alluded to. This will answer fully any charge of my having made untrue statements. Regarding (lie suggestion that 1 was ill-advised in referring lo the incident, I desire to say (hat 1 was answering the argument of (he Moderate League speaker that Prohibition was responsible for serious increased drug-using among ’the Canadian soldiers. My sole object was, by concrete, example, (o show in how serious a manner the liquor traffic itself was responsible fora lowered efficiency amongst the soldiers. I was mil charging the soldiers, but liquor, with wrongdoing. I, however, recognise (hat, a public speaker is responsible, not only for the idea in his own mind, but also for the impressions likely to lie made upon Ihe audience. If, therefore, my remarks hurl the feelings of any citizens, or seemed to reflect upon the returned men and not merely upon the Trade, 1 express my regret. The responsibility, however, for the spreading of the incident beyond Palmerston North must rest on other shoulders. 1 voluntarily gave assurances before I left Palmerston that as my object might bo misunderstood, I would not repeat (he incident. I ■further regret if any relleelmii should he east on the returned soldiers or Ilnur organisations by reason of the disorderly conduct of a section ol (lie audience at Saturday’s meeting, the responsibility for that must rest solely on (be liquor traffic and its emissaries, who wore willing; to repeat for their own advantage on a much larger scale the very action which they professed lo so heartily condemn in me.