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Hokitika Guardian, 14 August 1930, Page 4

Thk remarks by the Chief Justice 011 sensationalism in lqrideni journalism should be helpful as a corrective. There is the tendency towards sensationalism in the public press, naturally more so in tue larger countries, but the (smaller places are not slow to follow suit where there is the public ready to consume the highly coloured matter. The Chief Justice had crimes specially in mind. New Zealand has not teen devoid of serious crime of late, and in relation- to -anita! charges, there is always the disposition of the j press to pro lie into the closest details, and the information is often embellished in the best style of the writer after the pattern of the big journalism of America. Naturally a serious crime involving life has a shocking effect in itself, and the community is always ready to consume all possible details surrounding tbe circumstances of the crime. Motive is naturally the first thought, and in respect to that aspect, any information finds a ready consumption. It is this class of publicity which His Honour evidently seeks to see less blatant, 111 the fair bourse of justice it its not well that the crime should be tried by the public as it were, before all the details of the charge are brought put iu the orthodox way in a proper court. The sensationalism finds favour in many quarters, because there is always a morbid curiosity to be satisfied where the extraordinary occurs. Naturally the effect is not conducive to that dear thinking which the ends of justice demand. False impressions are often created by the remarks of Dame Rumour being presented in such a tmrb as to convey to the mind a-con-dition of affairs often far from the facts of the case. This may happen in particular in regard to circumstantial evidence, where wrong deductions follow. In the unravelling of crime, while it i/s necessary to give free play to the mjnd in instances where the evidence is indirect or indefinite, it ■is not an advantage to have circumstances surrounding such cases weighed in the public press in the first instance. The remarks of the Chief Justice were certainly in good seasoiyfor far too often is there unnecessary elaboration of details in print, before- the whole facts are laid bare from the witness box. On that, account and with the desire to ensure clearer justice and a better understanding for jurors brought to weigh the evidence and not the press version, it is well that the warning should be given and it i.s to be hoped it will go home in those quarters where the special offenders are.