THE TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2115, 15 February 1870, Page 2

THE TELEGRAPH.

The Lyttelton Times, in its issue of the Srd instant, published an excellent article on the Electric Telegraph Department of the Government. Among other things, the arrangement by which the various journals of the Colony are virtually compelled to accept such summaries of European. American, and Australian news as the Government think fit to supply, and on terms which they have the sole power of fixing, is alluded to, and the reasons urged for maintaining it shown to be fallacious. The Times says that although there are many small struggling newspapers which could not afford to pay heavy telegraphic expenses, yet that is not a sufficient reason for coercing the whole Press of the Colony, and that it was the duty of the Government to consider whether they ought to interfere as they are now doing in a matter which, strictly speaking, is as purely commercial as many others where interference would not he tolerated for a moment, or even thought of. Tho argument used by the Government that their present system saves a great deal of time is thus disposed of : —■ “They say that if two or three newspapers in the same town were each to receive a separate telegraphic summary of the English mail news, for instance, the line would ba virtually closed to tho general public. This is no doubt a very plausible reason, but the reply is obvious and in accordance with the principle which universally regulates matters of this sort. If tbe machinery at the command of the Government is not equal to the demands which, in the ordinary course of business, are made upon it, that machinery ought to be increased. What would bo thought of a merchant who declined sound business on the score that he hadn’t a sufficient number of employes; or who excused himself for conducting badlj' such business as he did undertake on the same ground ? Yet that is the position in which the Government chooses to place itself in tho management of the telegraph department,” Another very important matter is thus alluded to—- “ It might bo said, with perfect truth and pertinence, that there is considerable danger to the public inter-* ‘s in allowing the Government to excrcicv full control over the supply of news to the Press of the Colony. They might use tho power thus placed in their hands for political or other purposes, to tho great detriment of the people at large. What is to hinder them ftom suppressing information or opinions which they might consider damaging to their political existence 7 Have the public any guarantee that the news which the Government supplies to the papers is the fullest and best of its kind ? Bather, is it not probable that, the usual incentives of competitive rivalry

being absent, no exertion will b« made to supply the best and most reliable informaThe article concludes by advising the Government, until it sees fit to withdraw from the false position it has assumed, to adopt a radical change in its method of obtaining nows “The public naturally complain that the summaries of European, American, and Australian news are unsatisfactory in many respects. They invariably contain a great deal that might be judiciously omitted, and it usually turns out that they omit much winch they ought to have contained. The person who compiles these summaries does not, it is clear, understand what is wanted, tie is unable to distinguish between news and gossip, and he has the vaguest possible ideas about collating and expressing the latest and most important commercial information.