The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1929. AMERICAN JOURNALISM.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1929. AMERICAN JOURNALISM.

It is only a few months since that an utterly unfounded report of a disastrous earthquake in Mew Zealand found its way into tne American pap-' ers. This report, which was some time prior to the shake at Arthur’s Pass, appeared to have been ovoived entirely from the imagination of a Mew Zealand correspondent—or possibly the correspondent was an imaginary one. Anyhow the report went the rounds of the American papers, and it was only some time after that it was contradicted. It is an old saying that a lie which gets a good start can never be overtaken, and there are no doubt thousands of Americans who are today convinced that some time last year portions of New Zealand were practically destroyed by an earthquake vistation. Recently there appeared in this paper an extract from the New York Times, which must be taken more seriously for two reasons. In the first place it appears in one of the leading papers in the United States, and in the second it is unfortunately this time founded on fact. The disaster has been alarming, Bad and serious enough without being made worse in the eyes of the world by senseless and apparently deliberate exaggeration. It is to be hoped the Government has taken effective measures to contradict a report which it is safe to say will have a very serious effect on the tourist traffic next season, and may well have more far-reaching effects in discouraging prospcctiye settlers, immigrants and investors of capital. It should be made clear also, even to New Zealanders, that the main toiirist route is for the most part quite unaffected, and the apparent centre of the disturbance is some 200 miles away from the glaciers and scenic attractions of South • Westland. 'lt is no use making bad worse, by allowing the opinion to gain ground that the whole of the West Coast of the South Island is in a state of unstable equilibrium. might be said of the crust of the whole earth, but the fear of what might happen, at any time, in any place, has never yet doten;ed the human race from “carrying on.” When disaster does come it calls forth some ( of the best .attributes of, humane lyiture—help for the sufferers, and, stout-hearted determination ,to make the best of misfortune. The Coast , will, always have Reason to gratefully;, remem bpr tlite' sympathy and practical help forthcoming .from all parts of New Zealand, also Australia and other places. But every West Chaster will strongly resent the disaster being made the text for that cheap sensationalism which appears unfortunately to be one of the outstanding features of American journalism. . ,