The Washington herald., 1913-08-16
'(cop,right. I.l,, b. A. D. J.eobsou.,


am not aware that there Is any pre-
cedent for the institution Of an action
for damages for libel against Colonial
Governor IN respect to the contents OF
dispatch to the Secretary of State, such
az the suit brought bv a lady Of Jamaica
against Sir Sydney Oliver. Miss Hay.
the plaintiff. il the owner of extensive
estates In Jamaica. which have belonged
to her family for generations. and of
which she became possessed in 1903. Since
then she has lived in Jamaica and in
terested herself In the condition OF the
native population. both on her qyn prop
erty and in other parts Of tn island.
Deeply moved by what she found. Miss
Hay became a persistent advocate Of
various administrative reforms, more
especially In connection with the medical
service and poor relief. As the outcome
OF her agitation. some minor changes
were made. but, believing that more
sweeping reforms were necessary. Miss
Hay wrote a letter. in which she urged
that there should be an inquiry by a
royal commission. The letter was sub-
mitted to the secretary of the colony.
who transmitted IL to Sir Sydney Oliver.
at the time Governor of Jamaica. but
recently made secretary Of the British
Board of Agriculture.
Mr.. Harcourt. the Colonial Secretary
In London. asked Sir Sydney for re-
port on the subject TO wnicn MISS Ray
referred. SIR sydney repneo IN ois.
patch whicn was not merely report
upon the matters OF Wnich Mss nay
complained. but also a character sketch
Of the lady in no fiattering colors. Her
kindness and sympathy toward the un-
fortunate were acknowledged. but II was
represented that her efforts were ham
pered by the arrangements OF pNter
prejudices and by an e1traoroihary
inability, when moved py phiahthro opic
convictions. to apprehend or 10 state
facts correctly, completely. ana justly.
Sir Sydney accused Miss Hay OF having
''concocted' certain statements.
since then SIR sydney aomitteo .hioush
counsel tnat ne hao iouho tnat thiS
cusation was not warranted. ana
pressed regret ior having maze II. an
other part OF the oispatcn repea'eo u
the Colonial secretary statement eIh-
oodying a most oHensNe imputation upon
MISS hay. his couhsel sdio 10 this ina,
Sir sydney discialmed tnat ne coulu
ever nave tnought IL possible tna' there
could have been any truth IN the sus
gested imputation- The disclaimer Is all
very well, out the insertion OF the pas
sage in question in the dispatch was IN
excusable.
Moreover, Sir Sydney Olivier Is open
to criticism in regard to the publication.
as well as the contents OF. the document.
oniaI Governor simply retains one copy
of any dispatch that he sends to Downing
Street. One would have expected that
Sir Sydney would have taken extra pre-
cautions to keep secret a communication
in which he had written about a lady
with what his counsel described as EN-
tire frankness." but which other people
might regard as extreme onensiveness
Far from taking such precautions ne
had the dispatch put into type ana Tor
wsrded copies to the Colonial Secretary
with suggestions that they should oe
handed to friends OF Miss Hay VINO might
apply for information respecting her COM
plants. Inc oispatch thus was o,s
closed TO various persons OUTSIDE the
colonial once Inc pruning IN hins
ston was Done oy the soVerhinet pI
ers' ana. as mhsh' nave Deeh ah'i.'pa' s
the contents OF the oisPa'en Daiae a.e
known III the Town. a copy nnuhe
way 10 tocai he~spaper, ~hien p.o
m nsned II. 1us
neinouSI M Ia ,,,..I,, ~. rsad