REUTER’S NEW ZEALAND AGENCY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1497, 3 December 1878, Page 3

REUTER’S NEW ZEALAND AGENCY.

FATHER HENNEBERRY AT AUCKLAND. [By TELEGRAPH,! Auckland, December 2. The “ Star” to-night comments on an article in Thursday’s “ Herald” respecting English cablegrams and the new Press Association. The “Herald” referred to tho Press Agency as being a singularly profitable monopoly, and said Collins, Reuter’s agent, had resolved to supply all the papers in New Zealand directly, and that there would bo no more bogus telegrams, or “ filling in,” and that a saving of twenty-live per cent would be effected upon the present rates. The “ Star” remarks that the matter only concerns newspaper proprietors, and tho “ Herald” is not usually so communicative touching its business affairs, and adds —“ Probably it is stimulated on the present occasion

by its desire to put the best face it can on the failure of what would, if perpetrated, have been the biggest job and monopoly ever attempted in New Zealand. In the first place it must be observed that Holt and McCarthy never exorcised a monopoly ; telegrams were procured by them on behalf of the whole press, and wore impartially open to all subscribers upon most reasonable terms, and, in addition, papers might procure as much special telegraphic matter as they chose. This did not suit several newspapers : they wished to get special advantges from the agency, to the detriment of other papers. Failing with Holt and McCarthy, they endeavoured, by political scheming, to procure the privilege which the Telegraphic Department denied to other journals. There they were thwarted, Government making a contract with them, but at the same time taking another upon exactly the same terms with Holt and McCarthy. The next move was to send an emissary over to Sydney and Melbourne for the purpose of buying the right to cablegrams to be used exclusively by the would-be monopoly. The Press Agency and its supporters wore, however, too active for them in Australia, and bid higher. The consequence is, that the cost of cablegrams has gone np very considerably, an extra profit going into Australian instead of New Zealand pockets ; but the morning paper combination was outbidden and outwitted. They then opened up negotiations with the evening journals’ special agent in Sydney for the purpose, but being kept posted in all their movements, we were able to upset the scheme again, the whole thing having thus ended in a miserable sham. The original design being defeated, it is hoped now to tempt into an association those newspapers which before were shut out, with the ultimate intention of the pleasure of playing fast and loose witli them, after the Press Agency is got out of the field. ' It is hardly necessary to say that the independent section of the press are not such fools as to walk into the trap. The giant in labour has brought forth a miserable mouse, which within a very short time from its birth will probably be devoured by a cat, in the form of the Press Agency. The “ Star ” then quotes a telegram from its Wellington correspondent that Horton, of the “Herald,” has been telegraphing over the colony that Reuter has not made Holt and McCarthy their New Zealand agents. Father Henneberry lectured last night on education. He requested the Hibernian Society to attend in full regalia next Sunday at nine o’clock mass, and said that the Church, and not the State, was commissioned by God to teach the people. He quoted his experience of the United States as an example of the demoralising result of purely secular education. There were 20,000,000 of peopl ein America who had no religion. During the present century the Roman Catholic Church lost 6,000,000 of its people through secular education. As an example of the dishonesty prevailing in America, he said that one morning an officer of the treasury robbed the Government of 4,000,000 dols., and millions of acres of land had been acquired by bogus titles. During the first quarter of the present year there had been 3000 bankruptcies in America, and 58,000 divorces. Every year hundreds of thousands of infants were put to death by their own parents. Three years ago Bishop Williams told his priests that their attempts to Christianise had failed, millions of people having been led by the secular system into infidelity. The sovereign Pontiff had expressed his opinion that any Catholics who approved of the secular system of education could not he a true Catholic or receive the sacraments. He called on all present who were in favor of Catholic schools to stand up [here a large proportion rose up, and the Rev. gentleman requested them again to bo seated.l He would, on a future occasion, sketch out a plan of Catholic education. He know the Catholics were not strong enough to carry the elections, hut they could punish some enemy, and any man who voted for secular education was an enemy to the Catholics.