The Globe. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1879.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1565, 24 February 1879, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1879.

Communication with England by cable is once more opened, and the public will be very glad to obtain the latest information respecting the important events that are taking place in the Old World. In connection with cablegrams wo wish to draw general attention to a fact which has, perhaps, escaped observation. Wo do so with much regret, because it is not pleasant to accuse a contemporary journal of practices which, to our mind, are not consonant with a love of fair play and with the true code of commercial morality. Wo proceed to state the facts of the case. The Globe and other evening New Zealand journals have made a special arrangement with certain Australian papers by which the latter in consideration of the receipt of a largo subsidy, agree to impart to the former the nows which they receive by cable. The sum that the Australians obtain from New Zealand is not placed on the credit side of their lodger with a view to recouping themselves, but the arrangement is that it should bo spent in extending the general operations of the

sys'cm so that the public, both iuAu:tralia and Now Zealand, may benefit largely by the combination. It is evident that the intelligence so received costs a largo sum of money, and is proportionately valuable, and that it belongs exclusively to those journals who boar tho expense of its collection and transmission. It appears to us that by every code of morality it belongs to no other papers in Now Zealand but to the Globe and its colleagues. ‘Wo are aware that a recent judgment of the Appeal Court determined that there is no copyright for cable news, and wo cannot help expressing our regret that this is the verdict of such a high authority, because it strikes at the root of all enterprise in tho direction of supplying tho public with news. But this judgment affects the legal and not the moral side of the question. Even if we grant that by a strict interpretation of the law, journals are allowed to use intelligence which is paid for, and that heavily, by other journals, there can bo no possible excuse for the former, not only failing to acknowledge the source from which the news is derived, but absolutely claiming it as their own “ special intelligence.” The heavy accusation that wo bring against the Lyttelton Times and tho Star is this—that they actually take the cablegrams for which the Globe and its colleagues pay a large sum of money and print them in their own columns as “ special,” thereby loading the public to infer that the news has boon sent out from England at the cost, and under tho direction of the Lyttelton Times and other members of tho Press Association. To show that wo are not drawing on our imagination, we give below in parallel columns, tho European nows that was published in our issue of the 17th inst., and in tho Lyttelton Times and Star issues of the 18th inst: — Gi.onr, February 17th. “Lyttelton Times’’ and

London, Feb. 13. “ Star,” Feb IS. A conflict has taken A serious conflict place between the occurred at Galitz, in Russian and Roumanian Roumania, between the police at Galatz, in which Russian soldiers and the several were killed. police. Several were Sir S. Northcote says killed, that Continental rela- the Admiralty have tions are gratifying. The commissioned a frig-ate pacifying of Crete, and to convey the exhibits to satisfying of Greece Sydney, were in progress. The The plague is extendpurchaseof domain land ing in Eastern Europe, in Cyj'rus is arranged, and has reached BessHe announced that there arabia. Numerous deaths would be legislation re- have occurred, lating to bankruptcy. SirS. Northcote stated The Admiralty are that England’s relations fitting out a ship to carry with foreign powers were exhibits to Sydney. gratifying. Government Feh. 14, would ask a vote to enTho plague has now able them to vigorously reached Bessarabia. prosecute the Zulu war. The requirements of the Berlin treaty were being fulfilled and the pacification of Crete and Greece was progressing. The purchase of Turkish land in Cyprus also had been arranged. New bankruptcy legislation was promised. O’Kelly, the Fenian, has been released. This is merely an example of the sort of thing that is constantly taking place. Who can donbt but that the right hand column is a hashed up edition of the left baud column, and yet the Lyttelton Times calls it “ Special.” We know the Times' rechauffd was not, in the case above quoted, taken from our own columns, and for this reason. It mentions two items, viz., those of O’Kelly the Fenian, and the matter about the Zulu war that are not to be found in our issue. These items appeared in the telegram received, but as it was obtained very late, and the writing was not plain these items were omitted in that evening’s paper. Wo do not then accuse the Lyttelton Times of taking this telegram from the Globe, but we do accuse them of having special intelligence, the property of ourselves and other journals, telegraphed from some part of Australia or Now Zealand, where it appears in those evening contemporaries who belong to our association, and of placing it in their own columns as special intelligence sent straight from the old country. Wo distinctly say that this is not straightforward conduct. The Lyttelton Times and Star may shelter themselves behind a bare decision of the Appeal Court, but no court of law can justify the seizure of cablegrams paid for solely by other people, and the publication of such intelligence under the head of “ Special News by the Cable.” It is with much regret that wo have been compelled to make those remarks. We entertain no feeling of ill-will towards the Lyttelton Times or the Star, but when we see ourselves wronged in such a flagrant manner we cannot but appeal to the public to act as impartial judges in the matter.