The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-06-02

Acting Governor Mott-Smith yester-
day received a letter from Claudius
II. Mcbride. the Governors private
secretary. by the Alameda. In this
Mcbride goes at some length into a
defense OF his acts in the matter of
fleet entertainment.
With the exception of the first para
graph which is withheld at the request
Of Mr.. Mott-Smith the letter is as fol-
lows;
To E. A. Mott-Smith.
Dear Sir:
(a) That during the time 1 was in
San Francisco getting suggestions for
the fleet entertainment in Hawaii, I
was permanent secretary of the Execu-
tive Committee of Hawaii in charge
of fleet matters in the Islands:
(b) That during said time I was pri-
vate secretary to the Governor of Ha-
waii. and. IN a measure. his personal
representative at San Francisco;
(c) That 1 was the only one from
Hawaii with any authority to get the
suggestions in question, and was also
the only one who seemed to be public
spirited enough to spend his own time
anu HOhSy III SettAHS the SusSeStipnS
in question;
cd That 1 was the only representa-
tive from the Islands who was in close
touch with the way fleet matters were
being conducted at San Francisco:
(e) That l did not make. nor have
made. any arrangements of any sort
concerning the entertainment of the
fleet 10 be given in the Islands: that
1 have in no way hampered or embar-
rassed the work of the committee of
which l was secretary. The most and
all that I did was to make suggestions
to my committee. These suggestions
the committee saw fit to turn down.
whereupon | took no further action of
any sort. Moreover, what 1 have done
here in connection with fleet matters
has been done, as 1 thought, for the
interest of the committee which l rep
resented.
As far as cabling for carte blanche
authority is concerned. this on is face
shows that 1 was deferring making
for the committee, until
1 received such authority-it was a
suggestion for authority and nothing
else, and the authority net forthcom-
ing, 1 made no arrangements.
[ have spent considerable money
of my own in connection with get
ting the suggestions referred to,
which will probably not be returned
to me. 1 feel, however, that it
should be. for feel that anyone should
be reimbursed their actual just and
proper expenses for doing things in
good faith.
Moreover. Mr.. James F. Morgan,
who arrived in San Francisco the other
day. after a long conversation with
me, stated emphatically that he could
see from my letters, etc, that l had
done nothing out of the way whatever,
but that on the contrary, IL he had
been there. he would have acted in the
same way, and if he had been here
while l was there, would have apprOv-
ed my actions. with the possible ex-
,eption that the cablegram L sent to
the Star was unfortunately wo-ded,
and on that account was not UNDER
stood.
While the reorganized Executive
Committee have seen fit to displace me
rs secretary, 1 can only say that for
he time 1 was secretary # the COM
nittee 1 acted as 1 thought for the
best interests of that committee. and
I'm still ready and willing to do what
.ver l can to make the entertainment
# our fleet a success in the Islands,
whether 1 am connected with the COM
nittee or not
Respectfully.
c. H. MBRIDE.