The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, DEC. 11, 1906.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1955, 11 December 1906, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, DEC. 11, 1906.

A few weeks ago we had a most instructive arid clever satire produced upon the local stage in which was seen the ludicrous spectacle of the impecunious Duke of Plano Toro forming himself into a limited liability company and dealing out the sentimental respectability that surrounded his high title, as represented by his signature, to companies for a quid pro quo in the shape of directors’ fees. We are reminded of this Jever method of making money to keep up an extravagant stylo and to maintain a pseudo respectability by a series of “ special ” messages upon public topics that emanate from a cerfcaiu political quarter and always appear in papers that, have ! submitted their independence of speech and advocacy to the ruling political power. Through this channel occasionally comes to light matters that can only be known to the political leaders on fho Government side, and from that fact the conclusion is inevitable that there is an understanding between the Government and the disseminator of those messages that the Press Association, which treats all papers affiliated to it with e qual justice, shall bo overlooked until cho papers of tha right color have first been served and so doriva some supposed advantage, It is extraordinary, too, that information of a political nature often first reaches the point from whonee it is distributed to favored journals from Wellington, Christchurch, and elsewhere some hundreds of miles away, and is telegraphed from there beforo the Press Association agents in those centres can got hold of it for the benefit of all papers. As showing the Premier’s connection with this little arrangement wo have many instances, the latest of which came to hand last evening, and through which wo learn that owing to some sudden disturbance of ordinary routine which is described E 3 “pressing,” the Premier has had to unexpectedly abandon his Southern campaign on the Land Bill, and to “ reluctantly decline ” a free ticket to a banquet in order to visit Gisborne. Of course we do not suggest that Sir

Joseph has in fin's matter emulated the clover methods of the Duke of l’lszo Toro for filthy lucre, for it may ho only a matter of close political friendship that lie should, in getting his itinerary published, favor his political friends in proforonco to the recognised channel of infoimntion, the Po n Association. Nevertheless, the latter course is Hie one which wo huvo the right to expect the Premier of the colony to adopt in order that ovoryono shaU have tiro smno opportunity of knowing what the I’ro eier is doing aud is about to do. We have the right to expect tins, soiling that meclients os well os others help to pay his salary, and the State is not run, or should not be iuo, in tho special interest of 0110 party, nor should public information bo syndicated. Of course wo cnuuot vouch for the correctness of this “special” information, still it makes us wonder what ho t hapnonod to cause the Premier of the colony to no suddenly drop important southern engagement!.! ana forego tho pleasures of u banquet at which ho would bo such a host in himself, to wond Ills way so hurriedly towards Gisborne. Last night he was to have hold forth on the gloriea of the Land Bill, before iris own constituents at. Invercargill ; hut, for once in tire history of New Zealand politics, Gisborne is acknowledged to have a prior claim, and Invercnrgillinns must wait fill we have hud a taste of his oratory first. What does it mean ? And why have wo so suddenly blazoned forth into a position of tho first poliM'oal importance? Please scratch your heads and. think hard, and help us to unravel the mystery. Wo have already our own particular Minister in tho district, and the local Farmers’ Union is quiescent on the Land Bill. The Times yesterday published a long, well-written letter in favor of the Bill, and tiro local Government organ has not made any Gerious blunders in its advocacy beyond suggesting without authority from headquarters that the late secretary of tho Farmers’ Union should ba banquetted —a mistake that was quite excusable in view of so many precedents under Liberal sanction—so that, to oil appearances, things are going on very nicely and smoothly. Thore have been no political earthquakes, and thore are still a number of friendg who ttvo v. illing to provide a banquet if necessary in tho interests of native land settlement or any other settlement that may be mutusHy agreed upon—but stay—perhaps that is it af:er all. Thanks for the suggestion, although it raises a genuine blush of modesty, snd is calculated to involve us in the expense of a new hat, for unfortunately cranial development under tho influences of gross flattery never can be governed by the condition of one’s exchequer—the Times, you suggest. Woll, yes, perhaps that is it, and we may be pardoned the unreal egotism of the suggestion that the 7 jmes is tho real loadstone which drags the Premier from one end of the colony to the other, compels him to forsake his cons’ituents and to give up the delights of a real Scotch banquet, and draws him to Gisborne to afford some rejoinder to the many arguments that have appeared in its columns in defence of tho true Liberalism. What gives color to this view is tho fact that Sir Joseph has discovered that there is more than one paper published in Gisborne, although tho organ upon which he would like to rely for complete information has failed to inform him of tho fact, end so he is forced to tako up tho cudgels himself, hading as ho aoes that his factotum exist i only in name, and that the modern Liberalism Las no local champion. This episode may be set to the tune “ Hold tho fort for I am coming in a hurry,” and sung in all newspaper offices of the right color without copyright fees if sufficient energy can be mustered to start the tuuo. As for the Times, it will be delighted to extend to Sir Joseph a hearty welcome, to report his speeches, and do its best to kcop him in the path of political rectitude without tno incentive of special favor.s or the distinction of “ special ” political messages, and to 6ing his praises to another tuuo when he does the right thing in the interests of the country as a 'whole,