SORRY HE SPOKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 October 1921, Page 5

SORRY HE SPOKE.

MR. G. W. RUSSELL "UP AGAINST IT.” Not "Oh that mine enemy would write a book!” but “O that mine enemy would send a telegram.” is the answered prayer of the numerous candidates at the Auckland East election. Poor Mr. Ruesell! He is engaged in the difficult task of trying to smooth over the trouble be made for himself in the trying (epidemic) days of November, 1918. He says now that he is sorry that he spoke out of turn, and is busy explaining to the Auckland Eastlanders that he was very worried and wrought up at the time (and of course never anticipated that he would lose his Ministerial job and find himself wooing a northern constituency) ! But the Auckland Herald has not forgotten, and cannot forgive, and has produced from the archives the classic telegram sent when Mr. Russell was Minister of Health to that humble individual, Mr. Gunson, Mayor of Auckand:—"The statements I made (In reference to the liberation of the Niagara from quarantine) will not be contradicted by me on any assertion made by you in opposition to the information I have received. It appears to me that by endeavoring to inflame the people of Auckland against the Public Health Department, you are seeking to distract public attention from the revolting conditions proved to exist in .your city, and for which you must, as Mayor for several years, be held responsible. Your neglect to protect the city from slums, overcrowding, and the horrible conditions that have prevailed cannot be covered up by the methods you are adopting. Civic mismanagement, incompetence, and neglect are responsible for the deaths of hundreds in your city. As Minister for Public Health, I am acting on the advice of expert scientific men, which I prefer to that received from you. The papers here quote you as saying that ‘if the Minister of Public Health will not protect the community, it will become my duty, as Mayor, to take adequate steps to afford the protection which is its due.’ Well, go and do it now. Clean up the filthy slums and the disease breeding-places of your city. There lies your opportunity. Please also remember that you must obey the law and set an example. If you choose to take matters into your own hands and defy the law you will find that I, as Minister for Public Health, will carry out my responsibility to the letter, without fear.” In reply to a telegram from the Auckland Citizens’ Committee, the Minister for Public Health stated on the same day that the department realised its full responsibility, that it was acting on the advice of the chief health officer, and that it would not permit the Mayor and Citizens’ Committee to "take whatever steps they may consider necessary,” if these steps in any way contravened the law, and that if such steps were taken the law would be fully vindicated. And now Mr. Russell wants the Aucklanders to forgive and forget. Peccavi! Peccavi says Mr. Russell.