Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 1901. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 30 August 1901, Page 2

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 1901. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Of all the absurdities perpetrated in connection with Parliamentary usage, that of what is termed "breach of privilege " is in many cases the most absurd. The description published in last evening's Stab of the proceedings in connection with the " breach of privilege" occasioned by the smart action of the correspondent of the Dunedin Evening Star, in obtaining possession of a document and publishing it for the benefit of the readers of that journal, almost reminds us of a scene from one of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic operas. It is the duty of a newspaper correspondent to obtain information, and if he cannot obtain it by direct moans it is not very much to his discredit if he obtains it by other means. What one man can obtain another can if he only goes the right way about it. As was truly remarked by one of the members of the House, the whole proceeding looked like a big advertisement for the correspondent of the Dunedin Star'. To be sure the publication of the proceedings of the Goldfiolds' Committee by the Star was an injustice to the other newspapers of the colony, but that was not the fault of either the Star, or its correspondent. If there was a fault it was on tho part of the Government in allowing the proceedings of the committee to become public before it was determined that they should be so made public. And after all, what does it amount to ? A solemn, absurd farce will be gone through—the publisher and the " slim " correspondant will be called before tho bar of the House, where the heinousness of the offence will be pointed out to them, the pains and penalties to which they were subjected to wtfl be impressively dwelt upon by the Speaker, they will bo asked how they obtained the in-

formation, the publisher will only know that it appeared in the paper, and perhaps tho correspondent will reply that he either picked up the document in the street or found it waiting for him in his rooms. They will then be told that a serious—very serious—"breach of privilege" has been committed, and they must "go and sin no more " in this direction. It is indeed a terrible offence—a veritable storm in a teacup.