POLITICIANS AND THE PRESS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 154, 24 March 1908, Page 6

POLITICIANS AND THE PRESS.

In the Australian House of Representatives recently a discussion took place' which has special, interest in New Zealand just now in connection with the abuse which the Premier has been heaping upon those newspapers which refuse to join him; in his campaign of injudicious optimism. A member of the House called the Government's attention to a statement appearing in an interview in the "Sydney Morning Herald," iri the "course of which it was alleged that " a large sum of money had been subscribed in the piano trade for the purpose of influencing Parliament ' by, representation or otherwise.' Mr. Deakin' attached no great importance to this assertion, but he took up a \:ery strong attitude in connection with another newspaper statement to the effect that " two Tories" in the Federal Parliament had received £2000 for changing their, views on the necessity for taxing the produce of. the Standard Oil Company. . "They- had to consider," said Mi'. Deakin, "whether it would be fitting to the dignity-of Parliament to bring'an editor or publisher to the bar of the House for publishing" such a general statement. Editors arid publishers had been brought to the bar, but with no result. The present instance was not the only one. The time had arrived when the House was called upon to frame adequate mechanism to deal with such aspersions without distinction between offenders. 'He would, therefore, consult his colleagues with a view to the appointment of a small commission to consider the best methods of bringing such matters before an efficient tribunal."

Amongst a certain class of politicians the Press is regarded as a malignant institution that takes special pleasure, by indulging in plain talk, in disturbing the peace of mind of the patriots who make the laws. We have examples of this kind of politician in New Zealand—men who, perhaps,

cherish a secret hope that one day the silencing of the Press'' may remove the only efficient check upon their freedom to do as they choose. Sir Joseph Ward's extraordinary outburst of feeling at Te Puke against our own recent criticisms of his flamboyant speeches, is evidence of the politician's impatience of a free Press. "When we read the Premier's incitements to his audiences to regard, and to treat, as disloyalists and "traitors to their native land" those people who think that, their native land is not being properly managed by the eight politicians who make up the Miuistry, our only emotion is despair of Sir Joseph's sense of humour. His sense of the duties of the Press is as perverted as his view of the relations between the Government and the Dominion'. He stated'in a speech last week, apparently as a final ' and conclusive reply to his critics, .'that " the Government has, every confidence in the Dominion." This is kind of liini, but the real issue seems to us to be whether the Dominion has every confidence in the Government. That aspect of the situation does not appear to : have occurred ; to the Pre-' -niier. We shall watch for further news of Mr. Deakin's "small commission" with much interest, but without apprehension, for there is solace in the fact that the public, which is anxious to know what the politicians are doing, will not endure the extinction of the newspaper's recognised right to freely criticise the political actions of those elected to govern the affairs of the country.