INDIGNATION MEETING AT THE AHAURA.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 753, 15 November 1870, Page 2

INDIGNATION MEETING AT THE AHAURA.

A full meeting of the Committee appointed to receive His Honor the Superintendent of Nelson on his visit to the mining districts took place in Pinkerton's Hotel, at the Ahaura, on Friday evening, 11th inst. The object of the meeting was to give expi-ession to the feelings of the Committee with reference to the publication in the Weekly Archts of the draft of the address which is to be presented to his Honor. There was some difficulty in getting a Chairman, at length Mr Pinkerton said he would waive any reluctance he might have to preside at a meeting of . the kind, in order that no impediment , should be thrown in the way of the gentleman, a member of the Committee, and who had, he (the Speaker) had no doubt, through inadvertance, made the mistake of having the address prematurely published, giving a satisfactory explanar tion. He called upon Mr Hayden, who said that as a contra butor to a public journal, he should feel disposed to question the right of the Committee to demand any explanation from him, but as a member of the Committee and as a resident whose interests were identified with the welfare of the district, he was willing to give the Committee every satisfaction in his power. The draft of the address from which the report in the Argus wa3 printed was forwarded to that journal, by him. Knowing that there was an engrossed copy of the document, as well as a revised copy of it m the hands of the Committee, he sent the rough notes, as written by the framers of the address, to the Argus, without any special remark or request as to its publication. His reason for sending the document so soon was in order to allow the manager of the paper time to have it put in type at his' leisure, so that

when he received the report of the Superintendent's visit, he could publish the full account of the proceedings without delay. Such things were constantly done in newspaper offices, and no one knew this better than the persons who had busied themselves so much in getting up this indignation meeting. When the M.S. left his (the speaker's) hands, he had no further control over it. The editor of the Argus, in common with the editors of other newspapers, reserved to himself the right of altering or amending, of receiving or rejecting, any communication forwarded to him for publication in his journal ; and, as a rule, editors were not to be dictated to by their contributors as to the time or manner in which their literary contribubutions were to be published or otherwise disposed of. Still, if he had made a request to the editor that the address should not be published until after the Superintendent's visit, he had no doubt it would have been granted. He (the speaker) made no such request ; and he would say that he was as much astonished as any other member of the Committee could have been when he saw the memorial in print. He could assure the Committee, that the document was published at the time it »vas without his knowledge, consent, or intention ; but at the same time he could not agree with those persons who so persistently asserted that the address was published by the Argus with an intention of injuring the district or of defeating the object for which the Committee was formed, namely, to represent the wants of the place to the Superintendent. Mr M'Kenn'a said they were bound to accept Mr Hay den's explanation in good faith, bub he could not look at the matter in the same light as the last speaker did. They were amateur politicians, aud it was important that their deliberations should not be disclosed until their projects were fully matured. The document sent to the Argus might be looked xvpon as the property of the Committee, and should not have been treated as an ordinary M.S. belonging to the Press. The publication of the address before the Committee had an opportunity of presenting it to his Honor, was calculated to bring the whole affair into contempt. Mr Hayden had been guilty of an error of judgment, but he would exonerate him from any intention of breaking faith with the Committee but the editor of the Argus wasgrievously in error in publishing the address at the time he did, because by doing so he gave the Superintendent an opportunity of evading the promises required of him, and gave him time to prepare a reply to the questions asked him, and he would conclude by moving, "That this meeting views with regret and indignation the conduct that has been adopted by the Argus in publishing the address to the Superintendent, which address we consider the private property of the Committee until such time as it was delivered verbally to the Superintendent on his arrival at the Ahaura, and that the publication of the address is calculated to bring the Committee and district into contempt." The motion was seconded by Mr Fraser. Messrs Fraser, Pinkerton, Boag, and others spoke in favor of the resolution, which was carried. Mr Mir fin said it was customary on occasions of this sort to forward a copy of intended, so that he could prepare a reply. They could not expect the receiver of any address to be driven into a corner, and be compelled to answer questions and make promises on the spot. The publication of the address was no doubt wrong, but the damage done was not irreparable. Mr M'Kenna called the speaker to order, who then sat down, remarking that " he was sorry he spoke," Mr Boao said he could hardly find words to express his indignation at the conduct of the editor of the Argus, who should have known better, having had 15 years' experience in joiirnalism. He (Mr Boag) wo old promise the Committee that the matter would be openly, thoroughly, and distinctly sifted in his paper, and the whole world would be made aware of the perfidy of the Argus in thus taking .advantage of, and, in fact, stealing a march on the Committee. He concluded by moving that — " The editor of the Argus be written to, demanding to know in what manner the address came to appear in his paper." Mr M'Kenn.a objected ; it was not likely the editor of the Grey River Argus would answer any sugh impertinent question. After discussion Mr Boag altered his resolution, and put it then — "That the Secretary be instructed to write to the editor of the Weekly Argus, demanding a piiblic explanation of the cause of publishing the petition to his Honor the Superintendent, before the same became public property." members of this Committee, be sent to the Weekly Argus, against the premature course adopted by that journal, in reference to the subject of this meeting." Mr M'Kenna moved as an amendment — " That a protest, signed by the Seconded by Mr A. White. The amendment was carried. Mr Boag moved — " That the representatives of the press present, be authorised to publish the proceedings of the Committee meeting." The resolution was seconded by Mr A . White — and carried. Mr Boag moved — "That that document be destroyed," pointing to an engrossed copy of the address, which was lying on the table. Mr Kittelty seconded the motion. The adoption of this course was strongly objected to by Messrs White, Pinkerton, Fraser, and M'Kenna. Mr Boag then moved — "That the address as written should not be presented." This suggestion was also overruled, and after discussion a3 to the best means of receiving his Honor, the proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the Chair* man.