THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1686, 16 July 1879, Page 2

THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1879.

Me. Macandrew has given notice that he will ask leave to introduce a Bill “ to provide for the hotter regulation of tho system of Government advertising throughout the colony.” What does Mr. Macandrew mean by tho hetter regulation ? Is ho treating the question from a Government point of view ? Is he not satisfied with tho amount of “ screw ” that has already been put on ? Does ho not thiuk that tho Government journals have been sufficiently bribed for their thick and thin adherence to the views of the Ministry ? Is ho about to dovise some now method by which a higher price is to ho paid, and a more devoted partisanship, if possible, procured ? Is this what Mr. Macandrew moans by that charming phrase “ tho better regulation.” Or, on tho other hand, is it possible ho has become ashamed of a system which is so glaringly corrupt that tho only wonder is how any Government with tho slightest sense of decency, or tho remotest wish to keep up an appearance of honesty, could adopt it; and have tho Government at tho last moment, in a fit of doath-

bed repentance, expressed a desire to turn over a now leaf ? Wo trust the latter is tlie correct hypothesis. Although the com- j pact between the Government and its < supporting papers has been such as will indelibly stain the memory of the Grey Government, yet wo should bo sorry to see the Ministry descend into its political grave without its making some sort of I confession, with the view of shortening its stay in that purgatory of departed ministries where it is to bo presumed that the Walpole Government and other corrupt administrations are wandering disconsolate. Lot us hope that something is to bo done, and that immediately, for the present system of Government advertising is so extraordinary that neighbouring colonies profess to bo unable to comprehend how any respectable community can endure it. The object of advertising at all is evidently to give the most perfect publicity to the news sought to bo promulgated. In the face of this the Government say to the papers that support .— “A fig for such worn-out ideas. ■ Our idea of advertising is quite different. We look upon it as a political engine. Give us your support and you alone shall have our advertising and all tho emoluments attached to it.” And the consequence of this corrupt transaction is this :—Persons who do not take in Government journals do not see tho Government advertisements unless the Opposition papers choose, at a great sacrifice, to publish them gratis. In the case of contracts being invited, numbers of men who might possibly contract never see tho notices inviting application, and consequently tho lowest terms for tho work is not obtained and tho public suffers severely. The tone of a largo section of the Press is hopelessly injured; for how can writers pretend to maintain any description of independent opinion when they are parties to such a bargain ? And lastly, the good name of New Zealand is compromised, and tho colony is pointed at as a country where practices are maintained which are generally only considered possible in communities which are politically dead and verging on dissolution.