"SLANDEROUS STATEMENTS."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 132, 13 September 1910, Page 5

"SLANDEROUS STATEMENTS."

MR. P. HEYES ON HIS DEFENCE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Monday. Mr. P. Heyes, late Commissioner ot Taxes, has written a letter to the press in reply to the attacks on him in the House of Representatives. He says that, being no longer a civil servant, he can now defend himself, which he could not do when matters were being inquired into by two commission. He reiterates that he was exonerated from all dishonest motives or actions, and says "if such statements are made outside Parliament I can promise my traducexs something which' will make them more careful in making such slanderous statements." Mr. Heyes answers the query why three years elapsed before any action .was taken in the Bowron case by stating there was nothing in the returns which indicated to any officer of the department that there was any necessity for investigation. He claims that it was his own action which first brought the matter to light, as Messrs. Bowrons' firm objected to the valuation he had personally made, only involving the sum of ten pounds, and when he insisted, gave notice of appeal, and the result was the position now made public. He infers that they were unaware of any alleged crime, or they would never have laid themselves open to inquiry in so simple a way.