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Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 325, 29 August 1879, Page 2

The conductors of a newspaper ought to have certain well-defined opinions on public matters, and, in the proper place, have every right to give the fullest utterance to those opinions, but it is a pity that in those portions of the newspapers devoted to news the bias of the writer cannot be kept out of sight, and tha public be simply informed as to matters of fact. Any person who has endeavored to form an intelligent idea of what has been proceeding in the various localities as to the elections which are now in progress, must have been sorely bewildered by the conflicting accounts furnished by the " own correspondents " of papers representing opposite views. For example, the special correspondent of the " Squeezer" telegraphs as follows from Harbortown : — " Mr Reynard addressed the electors of this place last evening. The most influential man in the district, Blank Blankton, Esq., of Blankville, occupied the chair. The hall was crowded by a most sympathetic audience. Mr Reynard's speech was frequently interrupted by tumultuous applause. • At the close of the meeting a unanimous vote of confidence was carried by acclamation. A few wretched larrikins, in the pay of Mr Scales' committee, attempted to raise a disturbance, but the ringleaders were promptly handed over to the police. Mr Reynard's return may be considered a certainty." Now let us turn to the " Thunderer," and we shall find the following report of the self-same proceedings :—"Mr Reynard's meeting last night was a complete fiasco. Great difficulty was experienced by his committee in procuring a chairman. Finally Mr Blank's services were enlisted. This gentleman's name will be familiar to our readers as having been connected with some very shady transactions in horseflesh" which occupied the attention of the Courts of Justice some few years ago. The hall was crowded with electors, who, while according the candidate a fair hearing, manifested the strongest disapproval of Mr Reynard's sentiments. On a vote of confidence being proposed, only three hands were held up in its favor, and five hundred and ninety-seven against it. Notwithstanding this, the chairman declared the vote carried, and he and the candidate immediately made their escape by a back-door. I learn that Mr Reynard, finding his chance here hopeless, intends wooing the sweet voices of the electors of some other constituency." Now, how is the " intelligent reader" to make head or tail of such contradictory statements as these? which, alter all, are only a fair sample of the sort of stuff which has been telegraphed

from one end of the colony to the other about every event connected with the present struggle.