THE BOYCOTT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 600, 31 August 1909, Page 5

THE BOYCOTT.

"UNDERHAND METHODS." • Tinder' - the heading -.-quoted above,'' the 7'Manawatu; Standard," thei leadifig : journal in 'the Maaawitu ; district, in its, issue of : yesterday, as follows of .thoi,'boycott ;. ; ,of The Dominion -by. the ..Government...-. •. i- "Comment ia boing excited in tho south 3 by- the Government attitude in regard to • newspapers which are independent > enough to ■ - criticise Ministerial • actions. •It will be: re^, ' n membered -thata poli'oy 'of discrimination - jwas /inaugurated during <: last -. election .- com-. • pa!(pi; Smarting f nnder .the lash. of political criticism, the; Government ; withheld -adver- : tisements which certain journals,.-by : roason. , of their standing and circulation, had a right i-.:' to;receive; Four or five newspapers iin tiis Island; had thus to py-the. penalty- of;out- . spokenness. and candour in-their references to the pdrty in power: The same unjustifi- " able tactics are being used'to punish the ..-v.-. : Wellington ! ' Dominion, from which all Government advertisements are withheld. . ' When' wo consider the influence and : wide -. .. circulation of - The-Dominion, . the : only- pos- . Bible 1 conclusion is that the Government: is aanoyed at the vigour and pungency' of that .- .journal's referenccs to affairs of State. .Tho action cannot be defended on the ground of ; i.eoonomy,: because it .is simply false . economy. , to-ignore-the large section of the oommunity .' : ■ vho. aro readers' of the . 'newspaper : under , .v - notice..?- Like v ally |W the , State - should spend ■ .its money ; Where ?it r will . .. get - the'best .returns, and* it ii ■ the- neglect ■ of such guiding ' principlcs as this by.' the Govdrnment that. ifor the 1 cx- > travagance'thai"hasbeen' such a burden 'to : '-^'the;.-eoiiiitr](.'v'llf , ith'-'regard'.to' Tiie'Dominion, it . is' well that the public should ktiow-, lo what'lengths the Government .will go in its desire to .revenge, itself on its opponents."