"AFTER THE BALL."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8400, 15 April 1907, Page 6

"AFTER THE BALL."

MR M'INTYRE'S DEPARTURE. SOME PECULIAR STATEMENTS. By Telegraph—Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, April 14. A lot of sensational stories were •current in town to-day, concerning D. C. Mclntyre, and there is a growing feeling of astonishment that he should have been allowed to slip away so easily. Mclntyre is alleged to have raised considerable sums of money on bills from financial agents, and one of them, D. Stranaghan, is alleied to have been victimised to the extent of £IOO on & bill purporting to be signed by a third party, who has since repudiated the signature. Mr Stranaghan, on Saturday, swore an information against Mclntyre,and is said to have guarantsed £SO towards tha cost of his extradition from Monte Video, at which . point the Turakina is expected to t:>uch in about two weeks' time. The bill in question has been current for twelvemonths, and has been renewed from time to time. It is rumoured that another promissory note of a similar character (for £35) is held ,by a second financial agent, who is also stated to have cashed cheques for £l3 and £l4, respectively; for Mclntyre, drawn by the latter after his account had been closed. It is the feeling among those who deem themselves to have been duped by Mclntyre that the Government (whose servant he was), and not they, should bear the expense of bringing the man back to explain his actions. A reporter spent an hour or two on Saturday afternoon conversing with a number of persons who should be in a position to know what are the intentions of the Government in regard to Mclntyre. He discovered quite a remarkable reticence considering how little is to be gained at this stage, and no definite statement -was forthcoming. In view,'however, of this reticence, and of the further remarkable differences in the statements made by different parties who had, previously been in communication, it seems tolerably evident that something is afoot. The Acting-Pre-mier refused the reporter an audience, and said through his secretary that he had nothing to add to the official statement handed to the paper. An official said: "He should be very surprised should the Government take no steps; he should consider that very extraordinary. He thought it more than probable that Mclntyre would be brought back." Another gentleman, who has the ear of the Government, told the reporter that he could say nothing, although he knew a lot, but he thought it highly probable that Mclntyre would get an unpleasant surprise at Monte Video. The following statement was handed to the Press at 3.15 pm., on Saturday, by the Hon. W. Hall-Jones, ActingPremier:—(l) Mr Munro will carry out the duties of Superintendent of Awards; (2) all awards will be issued strictly in accordance with the decision the judges have already given or will give; (3) in respect to wines and spirits, however, the awards already published having been vitiated by gross irregularities on the part of Mr Mclntyre will be revoked and cancelled, and each of the exhibitors in the classes of wines and spirits will be asked to submit fresh samples, which will be submitted to the judge and awards made according to his decision.