Marlborough Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1880.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 168, 29 October 1880, Page 2

Marlborough Times. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1880.

Amongst the many doubtful blessings conferred upon the country by the Grey Government, was the establishment of a Press Telegraph Agency ai d a “special wire,’’ the result of which has been to furnish ill assorted, and often very incorrect, telegrams to its constituents. Formerly the telegrams of the old Press Agency, when it was in the hands of Messrs Holt and Macarthy, could he relied upon, as generally correct, although, of course, a mistake occurred occasionally, but it was the exception, and not the rule as seems to be the case with its successor. Unfortunately (.'apt. Molt and Sir George Grey, who were at one time on intimate terms with each other, quarrelled, and the latter left no stone unturned until the Press Agency was “ bursted,” and a rival institution established, under which certain newspapers were to have a kind of monopoly of this “special wire.” One of the latest instances that has come under our notice of the inaccuracy of the reports furnished from this source is demonstrated in a letter (which appears in to-day’s issue) from Mr Saunders, to the editor of the Lyttelton Times, in reference to his recent speech to his constituents at Kaikoura. In the report of that speech, as furnished by the Press Association, Mr Saunders states that words were put into his mouth which he never used, and that what ho did say has been altogether misrepresented. He denies that he stated “ lie had gone in on the Grey ticket,” or that lie hinted at repudiation, and that what lie is made to say about the Ministers is about the opposite of what he did say. Now these arc very serious charges, and all who know Mr Saunders will feel certain that what lie states is correct, and that lie did not make these statements, Mow any reliance can, after this, be placed on the Association’s telegrams, it is difficult to conceive. Tliis speech of Mr Saunders as reported (and presumedly correctly) was a remarkable one, and was commented on by the N. /. Timex, N.Z. Mnii and other journals, someef them, the Lyttelton Timex amongst the number, criticising it very unfavorably. From Mr Saunders’ letter, it is clear that the writer of the article lie refers to was arguing from wrong premises, and that his “ facts ” existed to a great extent in the imagination of the Press Association’s reporter. It is not easy to believe that such glaring mistakes could occur accidentally, although it is only charitable to hope they are not the result of design, but in either case they furnish strong testimony in support of the proposition that the “ special wire ” telegrams are not always to ho relied on. The public must undoubtedly lose confidence in news coming from such a source, and even the most ardent Greyites will hardly go to the extent of defending utterly false reports of an opponent’s utterances. We should certainly like to see an accurate report of what Mr Saunders did Say, and to know after the misstatements have been eliminated from the report, what residuum remains, but f.tom what we learn there appears to have been only tin’s one report taken. It is certainly rather hard on Mr Saunders to be taken to task and abused for words which lie never uttered, and it is “ rough ” on the writers in the “ Liberal n journals who have been cudgelling their brains to find sufficiently strong language in which to denounce the member for Cheviot. In spite of abuse and misrepresentation Mr Saunders we believe will continue to enjoy the confidence of his constituents, and we feel certain that iie is correct in stating that they want no excuse for his not supporting the Grey Government though they would have wanted a very strong one if he had done so.