The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, SEPTEMBER 11, 1901. CHEAP ADVERTISING.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 210, 11 September 1901, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, SEPTEMBER 11, 1901. CHEAP ADVERTISING.

“ Gkeat are the uses of advertisement ” is a motto appreciated by smart business men, and the proprietors of the Dunedin Star are taking full advantage of the opportunity offered them by members of Parliament. The hero of the hubbub is Mr Albert Cohen, and as that clover journalist would go to aSeddonian Siberia rather than give up the name of his informant, the House is only wasting time in going further into the matter with that object. The genial Cohen is known to all journalists, and now that his personalty has become of so much interest to the general public throughout the colony we may give some biographical notes. Mr Cohen was fourteen years old when he joined the Star as assistant reader. He had two years previously won an important scholarship, but after two years at the High School ho joined the Star staff. He went to Wellington in 1885 on " Gallery ” work; since that period he has not missed a session, and now occupies the position of Chairman of the Press Gallery, During the recess he acts as sub-editor for his journal, unless there is special work to do in the reporting line. He is a real good fellow, and is popular wherever he goes. So much for the reporter, but what a humiliating position is that in which the House finds itself. Ita rules have been transgressed in a way that may be considered smart, and the House is apparently impotent to punish the offender. Days of valuable time are being wasted with no other effect than to give the Star free advertisement. Last week there was much of Cohon ; yesterday

afternoon the same individual was looming large in the eyes of members, and last night it was still Cohen from start to ' finish. Perhaps when the House is wasting its time over this business it may cease from perpetrating mischief in other ways ; but it is really too bad that the whole business of the country should be delayed over this affair. The reporter took the risk of making a wilful transgression of the rules of the House, and five minutes’ consideration ought to have been sufficient to decide in I what manner the offence should be

dealt with, whether it should be forgiven or should be met by a substantial fine. It is clear that the ' committee meetings should either be thrown open to the Press, or there should be substantial punishment meted out to those men purloining the information through back-door means. If one man is allowed to obtain the information in that way, all others | should have a like show. It is certainly not a dignified position for anybody connected with it. A member of the com-

mittce evidently showed how much reliance could be placed on his integrity when he would thus disclose the proceedings of the committee. The country has already been put to hundreds of pounds i expense in the matter; .the House j has made a humiliating exhibition ! of itself, and the culprit makes a handsome gain in the amount of free advertis- J ing that he has obtained. To devote day j after day of the time of Parliament to such a subject U an outrage on the form of

government. If a good stiff fine had at once been imposed it would have had the effect of meeting the present case, and might have stopped the leakages of information from private committee rooms.