The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 1873

Evening Star, Issue 3151, 26 March 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 1873

The telegrams sent by the rival Press Associations respecting Mr Reeves s meeting at Leeston, on the 7th inst., were so widely different—the one crediting that gentleman with having received a vote of confidence, while the other stated that an exactly opposite vote had been carried —that it was plain to see that a mistake had occurred somewhere. But some Opposition journals were unscrupulous enough to insinuate that the papers which published the account favorable to Mr Peeves —and the S'l'Aß was among the number—had wilfully distorted facts to suit party purposes. We determined to treat those insinuations with the contempt they deserved ; but, for our own satisfaction, instituted an enquiry, with a view to ascertaining who was to blame —the operator, or the Association’s agent —for sending us what afterwards proved to be an untruthful message. We have since received the following communication from the Manager of the Press Association “ Further investigations regarding the distorted accounts of Mr Reeves’s meeting at Leeston on 7th instant, prove the Association’s Christchurch agent, Mr Hebden, to have been entirely blameless, and be has accordingly been reinstated. The fault rests with the Telegraph Department. The telegram presented by Mr Hebden at the Christchurch office addressed to me here, was as follows * Reeves, ex-Resident Minister, Middle Island, addressed constituents at Leeston last night. Vote of confidence was moved, but following amendment was carried by 23 to 16 This meeting desires thank Mr Reeves for address, but we do not approve of the unqualified support he rendered to the unsatisfactory Fox-Yogel Ministry,’ In re-transmission at White’s Bay, the words in italics—viz., ‘ moved, but following amendment was ’ —were omitted, and as delivered here, the message read, ‘ Vote of confidence was carried by $3 to 10’. On this message the telegrams I sent throughout the Colony were based." We hope those papers that were so uncharitable in their remark® towards us will at once make the amende honorable.