THE GRIERSON CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1916, Page 7

THE GRIERSON CASE.

•"STING" OF THE REPORT. (From Our Own Correspondent). Wellington. April 12. The report of the Commissioner appointed to investigate the allegations made against Lieutenant Alexander Hugh Grierson, of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, contains noi'iwg that would not have been expected in view of the evidence taken at tie enquiry. The Commissioner dismisses at once, as h e was bound to do, tin; suggestions that Lieut'.wit Grierson was of enemy nationality, or descent. *L'h-j evidence showed tiuit he was a'member of an old English fan-.i'.v. The further, suggestion that was reason to suspect the officer of disloyalty or of enemy connections is also dismissed by the Commissioner, who analyse the evidence in some detail. The Commissioner does not believe that any of the documents produced in support of the allegations could be held to justify a charge of disloyalty. He is satisfied that the so-called code, one of the papers taken from Lieutenant Grierson's box by the energetic ladies, of the Anti-German League, hi? "110 significance whatever." The office. - '* explanation that it was an unfinished grammatical exercise, with odd notes 011 the same piece of paper, is accepted. The sting of thb report, so far as the 'officer is concerned, is in its tail. "Mr. Grierson," says the Commissioner, "is a young man >vho has seen more of Germany and knows moi'e about her than most young men in New Zealand. He had clearly been greatly impressed by her strength and readiness for war, and believed that if war did break out she would be the victor. He was employed by the German Consul, and it seems to me was proud of such association with German affairs as lie had, and rather pleased otherwise at being taken for a German. It is not alleged that in the various discussions which have been referred to he said anything against the British,' but it seems quite clear that lie said all lie could for Germany in such a way as to arouse hostility to himself. I believe his doing so was only the foolish, boastful airing oi' his superior knowledge in certain matters and that he is nevertheless a loyal British subject."