MINERS AND PRESS REPORTS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 264, 4 August 1919, Page 8

MINERS AND PRESS REPORTS

THE SUGGESTION OF BIAS

WELLINGTON JOURNALISTS PROTEST

The secretary of the Wellington Journalists' Union has forwarded to Mr. J. Arbuoklo (secretary of tho Miners' Federation) the letter printed below. The communication,explains itself. Dear Sir—The.members of tho Wellington Journalists' Union noto with extreme regret the oharges of unfair reporting made by delegates, representing tho Miners' federation at the opening of the mining conference ,at Wellington on Friday last. They feel indignant that such unwarranted charges sliould be made— oharges wbioh. reflect on the honesty of wcn'Mrig journalists generally. It is'not the first occasion- on which Labour speakers have-attacked the honesty of reporters. That reporters are suborned by thcse'in' authority over them to ioblour or give unfair, reports-is the lie that wo desiro to seo nailod to tho counter once and for all. Some of our members with a wide experience- extending over periods of from thirty to forfy years state posii tively that they havo never been asked to impart "colour" to their reports, nor • havo these reports ever been "dootorctl." Onr opinions are fully expressed in tho following series of motions carried at a general meeting of tho union whbh I nave been instructed to forward to you v and to publish:" . (1) That, this meeting;of the Wellington Journalists' Industrial of Workers, representative of tho reporting and reading staffs of the three Wellington daily newspapers, voices its strong protest against tho statement by Mr. O'Bourke, tho miners' dolegate at tho coal mining: conference, that "in the past they had not received the impartial reports that they desired, suoli statement, when used in support of the miners' objection l» the Press being admitted to the conference, being intended to oonvey the meaning that the members of the reporting staffs of tho three Wellington dailies supply biassed roports or that such reEorts are "doctored" in the employers' iterests after they reach the ofijeo and beforo they appear in the paper. (2) That tills meeting requests Mr. CEourko to substantiate his statement or withdraw it. (3) That this meeting strongly ; resents such imputations being cast upon the - honour of Wellington working journalists who have always endeavoured to supply honest,' faithful reports of public meetings and industrial disputes, and in fairness to the proprietors of the three papers upon which the members present are employed assures the public that in no case have the reports-6ont in been "doctored" in the way imputed. . (i) That it be pointed out to tho general public that if a public speaker has occasion to question the correctness of ' tho utterances attributed to him he always has redress open through writing to tae paper concerned, and no case is known where the publication of such letter has been Tefused. (5) That it also be pointed out in the public interest that the news columns of " the three Wellington dailies are open to .Labour equally with other interests. . I trust that you. will place tho above motions before the miners' delegates at your first opporfunitv.—l am, yours faithfully;' (SgdJ W. Freeman, hon. secretary- W.J.U. ' •