NEFARIOUS NEWSPAPERISM.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2388, 28 November 1881, Page 3

NEFARIOUS NEWSPAPERISM.

To the Editor of the Globe, Sir, — A newspaper, which I am told need nos be named because of its already painful notoriety, has recently been charging the Premier with gross misrepresentations in the portion of his speech at Leeatou which referred to the Native question, Tho person who wrote the articles in question has been audaciously false respecting tho contents of official papers ; so false that he must have traded upon his belief that Mr Hall would not trouble himself to expose the falsehoods, and upon his conviction that the ignorance of his readers was such that detection by them need not be feared. Will you allow me to expose two of this writer’s falsities. On Tuesday he said, with reference to Mr Hall’s statement, that Te Whiti had refused tho Governor’s invitation to meet him—- “ The Honorable John Hall knows perfectly that Te Whiti declared hia readiness to meet the Governor 1 at Parihaka ; ’ the Government recommended the new Governor —Sir Arthur Gordon—who was at the time imperfectly acquainted with the position, to invite Te Whiti to see him ‘in Wellington.’ Why is not the fair truth given in a straightforward way ? Why does the Premier of this colony seek to convey by disingenuous language that what Te Whiti asked for had actually been offered to him and rejected? This is a sample of how truth is perverted by a man who hopes to be considered a statesman and a leader of the people. This ia, we are sorry to say, the kind of thing the Honorable John Hall is almost constantly guilty of.” On Friday similar statements were made. Yet the truth Is that the Governor did not invite Te Whiti to come to him at Wellington. What the Governor did was to state when he would be travelling between New Plymouth and Hawera (or Opnnake), and to say that he would meet Te Whiti at any point along that route which Te Whiti might select. The reference to Wellington waa only to this effect—that if Te Whiti preferred to go there instead of accepting the invitation given, then he should be received with fitting hospitality. Tho second misrepresentation of this vilifier of true men ia more gross, if possible, than the one already noticed. On Friday it waa published to the readers of the newspaper that Mr Hall had been guilty of the most culpable misleading when he stated that for 3000 men, women, and children on the West Coast the promised reserves amounted to 200,000 acres, of an estimated value of £OOO.OOO Said this writer—“ The thing is a subterfuge and a fraud,” for the 260,000 acres were not meant for these 3000 Natives, but they really represent “ the whole of the Native reserves throughout the colony.” This writer constantly protends to quote from the Commissioners’ reports. Will it be believed that of 'ho third report two page?, at least, are devoted to a detailed enumeration of tho reserves, showing a total area of 262,820 acres, and a detailed statement of their estimated value, amounting to £033,535 I It can hardly bo assumed that journalitm of this class results from one man’s mere love of falsehood. The thing, It is to be suppossd, Is found to pay, and it ia certainly to be regretted that such a result should be possible In such a city. 1 am, &c., YIBITOK. Christchurch, November 20th, ISSI.