THE Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1869.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1985, 15 September 1869, Page 2

THE Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1869.

J. Stuart Mill, some two years ago, wrote a little work on “ Liberty.” It was very extensively read by thinkers, and pronounced very good. Many nonthinkers read it, and pronounced it very dry. This unfortunately is the way in which many good writings are elbowed into oblivion. They require too much mental effort for the mass of readers to bestow upon them ; and if the principles they enunciate are to become operative, it is by their being moulded into attractive forms—just as pills ai*e wrapped in sweets to vender

them palatable. Perhaps there are none in British communities who have not formed some sort of notion of liberty. “ British Liberty” is in everybody’s mouth ; but it is not always a well-defined idea. One may see a man’s notion of it frequently in his conduct. Some connect the idea of personal liberty with doing as they like, regardless of other people’s feelings. Their notion forces itself on Society by the use of coarse language, smoking in public-conveyances, and disregard of the amenities of life. Every one who has travelled has met with these peripatetic nuisances. They are found riding in cabs —in the inside of coaches, in every place of public resort. They do not imagine that their notion of liberty is mere licentiousness —liberty run mad. Nor can they readily be taught that the boundaries are passed when they interfere with and violate the rights of otheis. Occasionally a man’s notion amusingly pourtrays itself when he is called upon to answer for some breach of social or municipal law. Thus we have heard a grandiloquent speech on British liberty in the Magistrate’s Court from a fish hawker, in defence against a charge of hawking fish • without a licence , in which he sought to prove that the byelaws of the City were an encroachment on the liberty of the subject. But contracted notions of that sort are not confined to the classes we have described. They pervade more or less all classes of persons, and show themselves in acts of tyranny commended to their minds by the closest logical inductions from their peculiar political or religious creeds. Perhaps none ai'e so liable to suffer from these perverted ideas as those connected with the Press. The Press is a peculiar institution. One of its offices is to watch over public morality, public taste, and public interests. To fulfil these duties aright, it must be of no party, or even if a journal be established for the advocacy of special objects, it must deal fairly, honestly, and impartially with all. The English boast of the liberty of the Press. A fi’GG Press, in contradistinction to u press under censorship, is one of the themes in which English writers are especially fond of expatiating ; and if it be asserted that there are petty tyrannies at work, tending to fetter the expression of free opinion, many will demur. But it is so. We do not speak of cases where a journal has outstepped the bounds of liberty and made its columns a vehicle of slander. We do not agree with the idea of an editor who some time back said he considered it a sign of freedom of speech and writing that he was constantly in danger of prosecution for libel. There may be instances where such a risk ought to be incurred in the public service; but they occur rarely. A well-conducted journal will be careful of private reputation, and consider it a sacred trust. The gagging influences to which we now allude are not of a legal character. They are appeals to the interest of journalists to suppress or temper expressions of opinion, or to exercise an undue censorship over the opinions of their correspondents. Fortunately the large and increasing circulation of the Evening Star renders it altogether independent of such influences, and enables those who conduct it to take an independent stand on the various subjects to which public attention is drawn ; otherwise, in common with less fortunately circumstanced papers, it must have shaped its writings to the will of its dictators. Some amusing instances of these attempts at dictatorship may however be given. On one occasion the religious feelings of a very respected friend were deeply stirred, through one of our writers having pointed out the tendency of ministers to prefer the tables of the rich to the scantier fare of the poor. As not one of - those included in the class spoken of would deny the charge, and as nobody would like to tell them to their faces they were verily guilty, one would have thought this gentle hint would have been appreciated and approved. Kissing the hem of the ministerial garment is a thing of the past. Ministers of the gospel are public men, and consequently liable to public comment on their sayings and doings. Had our friend truly apprehended the spirit of liberty, he would have accepted the saying : “ Amongst the crowd the cap is thrown, And whom it fits may put it on.” But no, a repetition of such an offence would exclude the Evening Star from reception within his doors. Similar in spirit and more decided in action was the conduct of one who withdrew his advertisement because a letter was allowed insertion from a person who signed his name to it, which contained a series of resolutions moved or notice of motion of which was given in the City Council, and which, whether the Council thought right or not, were public property. It may not be amiss to say that during the late election for Councillors, both sides took exception to our opinions, and several energetic partizans marked their disapprobation by mixing up business with local poli-

tics, and punished us by withdrawing their advertisements. We cheerfully submit to the stamp thus placed on our impartiality. Then, should a critique adverse to some favorite actor bo inserted, every member of the corps dramatique, from the door-keeper to the performer himself, is on the qni vive to learn who was the daring scribe that had the audacity to pen such an expression of opinion. For some time, this determination to give fair and impartial criticism, excluded the JCveniwj Star from the sunshine of theatrical favor. It was then in a position to refuse to accept advertisements and admission of its staff on terms to which humbling conditions were attached. The journal is now welcomed in almost every household, and it is the interest of every tradesman to advertise in it. If then at that time, it was in a position to take an independent stand it can do so now, and while careful to abstain from identifying ourselves with party feeling, cabal, or faction of any sort, we shall not allow ourselves to be biassed by any other motive than, as far'as our judgment goes, right-minded public spirit. We base our claim to support on this ground, and have no doubt we shall receive it.

Proposed Concert.—We are informed that the concert to he given by the Dunedin Private Musical Society for the benefit of the Benevolent Institution will take place in four weeks, arrangements having been made for that purpose.

A Correction. — We are requested to state that Mr Walter in the interview with his Honor the Superintendent as one of the Deputation from the licensed victuallers, specified that from Ist April, 1834, to 30th June, 1809, the licensed victuallers had contributed to the revenue, L 00,290. The duties were accidentally omitted in our report yesterday.

Princess Theatre.—“ Boh Roy,” and the comedy of “ Cool as a Cucumber,” were repeated last evening to a moderately good house. There is a talk of its being played next week, with Mr Talbot for the Bail lie, and the change is certainly necessary. To-night he appears as Sir Pertinax Macsychophant, in the “Man of the World,” the success of which impersonation was unqualified. The Marewhenua Goldfield. —In the Provincial Government Gazette to-day, the Goldfield on the Marewhenua run is proclaimed under the name of the “ Otago GoM-field.” Its area is stated to he 145,000 acres more or less. The boundaries are : South, the Otakaik stream and Waitake river ; the eastern boundary of the Marewhenua Hundred ; the northern and western boundaries of the Kakanui Hundred ; and a line drawn from the south-west corner of that hundred to Kakanui creek.

Wardens’ Reports.—The following are the reports of Mr Warden Wood, under date August 31. From Switzers, he says : - “The cii'trict is wed supplied with water, as the snow is melting fast. The new goldfield at Waikaka is not yet fairly developed, as there is only one small race at work. Messrs Barhary and party having bought in the Shepherd’s Hut Greek, report says they have got into good ground ; but they are silent on the subject, as the ground has been in dispute with Green and party, and heavy damages claimed ; and the case may yet be taken to a higher lourt. They hold about eighteen men’s ground, represented by hired labor, with miners’ rights, who are bringing in a race from Waikaka to work it. Green and party are getting on with their fluming, and iiope to have several heads of water in two or three months. I believe, when their races are completed, there will be a large increase in our escorts ; or rather that they will keep up during the summer mouths when water is scarce. At Switzers, Gabrielle and party have nearly finished their race from the Steeple Creek to command the Scrubby Terraces on the west side of Waikaia, and opposite the new township of that name. Messrs Skeen and party are extending their race to the Sheep Yard Terraces, near the Waikaia, where a few parties are at work. I have no doubt that when water is to be had several claims will be opened up.” From Mount Benger : “ The rise of the Clutha about the middle of the month caused an exodus of the Chinese, who have been doing well during the winter. Some parties are gone out to Campbell’s, a good deal of the snow having disappeared. The early rise of the river has been a great disappointment, and is a great loss to the district, as so much preliminary work has been done.” We have been requested to state that the meeting of the preferential creditors in ihe estate of Mr W, J Henningham is to take place this evening, and not to-morrow evening as advertised in the Daily Times.