Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1894. The Liberty of the Press.

Manawatu Herald, 17 May 1894, Page 2

Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, MAY 17, 1894. The Liberty of the Press.

The • absurd d^oyiplry issued bj£thi^b"3i»l frovarfiuienf; to discover, how the contents of a letter, written by Colonel Fox to the Premier, became kuown to the editor of the -Evening Post* causes 'otic to rub ones eyes to discover if one . is awake, for such things savour fnore of the distant past than of jjhe present day. Old Rip Yap ,' .WmkJe*, aged man that he was.'aha one' who slumbered a long period away, might again awake and find himself very much at home in this' bright 1 colony, if, which has a lot of doubt in it, the present Ministers* are to be permitted to , sap the very principle of the liberty of the people.- : Fi'eecl6m is supposed to be loved by all, especially by the working classes, and it is r thus.niore than/ singular,, t^ find la p^bpie'sSlimsWy, asminilfers' love to style ihecjselyesj to be the first to do their best to gag* the Press of the colony. Most fortunately the attempt could not have been tried on a better Editor, a gentleman who is chief of the Jopnalistar of the qouutry, andf/uief wb/o ;.pdßse*sses both ! ibjckfb6n6 j kh3 knowledge to properly resent such an action. The failure is useful in affording an insight into how beautifully dark are the ways Ministers would prefer to rule New Zealand, and how exceedingly useful an.unfettered Press is to the colonists. 14 The liberty of the Press is indeed essential to the nature of a free state; but this consists in laying no previous restraints upon publications and not in freedom from censure from criminal -matter when published " says Blarkstone. Another authority, S. Bowles, says : — " The Press is destined, .more than any other agency, to meet. and nipiild the jai'ring and contending nations ot the world into one great brotherhood/ 1 Prime Minister Stuldon, says:— "The Press must not publish public documents without my permission." Our readers' can thus judg« as to the wisdom of the three authorities. The Censorship of the Press is

still in existence in some European countries, and in Russia it is very rigid, certain articles being blackened over and made unreadable by their recipients, when the matter is thought objectionable by the Censor. In 1515 the Roman Catholic Church established. a_ general censorship of the Press. In England there were " licensers " of books, who were for the most part bishops ; and a general censorship was established by a decree of the Star Chamber in 1637 and remained in force during the Civil War and was confirmed by Parliament in 1643. Against this act Milton protested in his " A "" pagitica.'a •»«— ' " •* i « u : ' . -^«a tot the liberty ot i unlicensed printing." In 1.694 the eengoi'ship Was abolished in England; In 1894 an attempt is made bjr a premier in a colony to re-introduce I itv We join in the hope that early in the ensuing meeting of Parliament the whole correspondence and full particulars, of this, wotiderfiil Commission wiil.be made public.

To-night acceptances close for the Otaki Maori Racing Club's Meeting. Notice is given that a notice in writing has been given by Mr Spelman to Mr Speirs that the partnership hitherto existing between them as artesian well sinkers has been dissolved. The Justices of the Pea<Je attending the Magistrate's Court at Foxtort; forwarded to the Minister of Justice thedther day a resliest that Constable dilleßple might be retained in hi 3 posiiion as Clerk of the Court. A reply from tho Department of Justice has been received informing them that their letter has been forwarded to the Police Department for consideration. We call ajteniion td the EujJli.tiaUoii by thfe Bdrougta#oi#iei££f f ttte ;pftyrtMlars of the estinlft|ed4n<duie : - and expenditure for tile coming year. At the Palmerston Police Court on Tuesday, James C. Morey, a bankrupt draper of Feilding, was committed for trial on charges of fraudulent preference,, and. neglecting to keep proper books of acj couut. Government admit the darkness that surrounds their dealings as it is proposed to erect upon a pole in the centre of the grounds in front of the Parliam»ntary Buildings an arc electric light of 3000 candle power, which will illuminate the whole neighbourhood. The arc light in Lamb ton quay is 2000 candle power, so that tho proposed light will be the most powerful in Wellington. Public notice is given by the Town Clerk of the intention of the Borough Council to strike a general rate of fifteen pence in the pound and a Library rate of one penny in the pound at the meeting to be held in June. Another terror is to-day added to our country settlers. The Manawatu County Council notify that Mr Patrick Guerin has been appointed Ranger for the Awahou Biding. ? ' ■ The very great inconvenience to passengers by reason of the early hour of departure and the late hour of' arrival of the trains at the Wellington terminus, says the Post, has been represented to the Welling, ton Manawatu Railway Company by the Chamber of Commerce, which suggests that the 6.80 a.m. north train from Wellington be delayed until 7.30, thereby making the arrival at Palmerston at 12.30, Wangauui 4.15, Napier 6.45, and New Plymouth, on Tuesdays and Fridays only, at 10.40 instead of 9.40 p.m. : and that the daily trains start from Napier and Wanganui. to Wellington one hour earlier, and [ one earlier on Tuesdays and Fridays only from New Plymouth. The Chamber also points out that a saving of time would be effected by- dispensing with the 2f> minutes' stoppage at Palmerston North, nominally for refreshments, which is unnecessary, as there is a refreshment car attached to the train This would enable the ni»ht train to arrive in Wellington at 8 p.m. instead of 9.40. As corresponding alterations will be required on some of the Government lines if the recommendations made to the company are carried into effect, the Chamber Baa also written to tho Railway Commissioners, expressing a hope that the proposals will receive their favourable consideration, and the belief that any slight inconvenience that might result from the change will be quite inconsiderable in proportion to the relief which would be afforded to a large number of the travelling public. The. attention of the Commissioners' is also directed to the injustice to settlers and traders caused by the imposition of a uniform charge of not less than 2si6d.'foricarriage of goods by the railway between I^ongburn and Palmerston North. This charge, it is pointed out, is quite out of proportion to the service rendered, and Constitutes a- great hindrance and burden to trade,'" arid the Chamber trusts that a substantial reduotion in the rate will be made. > .... : Another old fashion which the Premier might lflce to resurrect. There are many awesohie 'and fiendishly ingenious objects collected' in the Tower of London, but sbarce any of these relics are so wwll calculated to inspire a healthy 'horror of the "good old times " as the object labelled in the Tower collections as the Mask of Will Summers, Henry VIII.'s jester. For, indeed, this was no jester's mask, but was used for a very grim and ferocious purpose, It is a manner of helmet, made of iron and fashioned into the shape of a grinning spectacled countenancp. Its special use .waa for covering the head of any unforttraale \Vretcti (heretic or goroerer) condemned to death, by Are at the ..stake. Thus^yfiipi^' bis s^trugglos and .agonies wera ©ltw JitidSfi-excite only ridionle : and derision from the crowd of onlookers. In some few other examples of these inhuman eoptriyftqe<3B'4'he t Jmouthr 4iaa -been -fitted ,witlf« J whistlei "".'.' ■ :; '..'■ , . '''$!£' expense 13 threatening the local bodies interested 1 in the licenses of public houses. The Government appear very remiss in appointing Inspectors, so much so thaUhe Stipendiary Magistrate at Kaiappi has commenced an inspection on his own account, and the committee are at it in detaotments. All this would be unnecessary if a reliable inspector was appointed. Matters seem drifting in this district towards compelling the Licensing Committee to go and do likewise. With this issue Messrs Ross and Sandford of the Bon Marphc, Palmerston North, announce by an inset that they intend holdinga genuine clearing sale of \> ickett's Assigned; stock of drapery and clothing, commencing Saturday next the 19th May for a period of 14 dayk. Buyers of general drapery would do well to take an early opportunity in securing some of the many of bargains they are now offering. Mr W. N. Ward, solicitor, Otaki, has filed a petition in bankruptcy. A slight shook of earthquake was experienced at Malta on May 14.

The Russian Government, in order to prevent the abuses caused by physicians' bills, has just published a regulation fixing the fees to be claimed by doctors. The cities are divided into three classes — those with 50,000 inhabitants, those having from 5000 to 50,000, and those -of less than 5000. The patients are also divided in three classes ; the first including capitalists, proprietors, manufacturers, etc. ; the second, members of the liberal professions, and. the third, the rest of the population. The fees are of three grades : Five rubles for the patients of the first class, three rubles for those of the second, and thh'ty kopeks for people of the third olasa. With regard to the 1900 Exhibition in Paris the idea has been broached, to erect; a colossal buildins round the f«" v - :;|-- the w**- 1 •"* . ~» oiuoa or ->uol xowet to the height of the first platfoi'tni and to use the same as the Palais acs B"eau Arts, T"iie Comratttee seems to favor the plan; Mr Miindella becanie of, ihe ?oard of Trade. , oil , tlie accession of Mi 1 'Gladstone to office iii August* 1892. He also -held this portfolio in 1886; The Oriental Steamship Company, of 84, lieadenhall street; proposes to wind tip. , v t i „ A private ietter received in Sydney, from Hamburg states that Australian meat is selling there 50 per cent below the price : obtained for the local article. The writer j predicts that an extensive business could be opened up for the sale of Australian meat in Germany. j By Gazette Extraordinary, issued on Monday, the meeting of the General Assembly for the despatch of business has been fixed for Thursday) 21st June next. in the valley of ttibas (near Toulouse) arid dti the CJol de ToSa (i dwell the remnants of a race, now rapidly disappearing, averaging a little more than a yard in height, copper colored, woolly haired, and with broad, .flat noses. They are not intelligent and make themselves understood with difficulty, but they are atftivej and are chiefly employed tks shepiierdsi iflhe following story is told by Archdeacon Sinclair in the Ywwj Man :— " I. remember that a curate of my grandfather's, who was preaching his first sermon, was so overcome with nervousness that he made a calamitous blunder. He was preaching on the Prodigal Son, and tfhen he came to the words, ' put a ring on liis finger,' he was unable to stop, but went on, and bells on his toes, and he shall have music wherever he goes.' " In the course of a leader on the Fox Commission the Post says:— ln 1793 it became necessary in the public interests in England to form an "Association of Friends of Freedom of the Press." The great Lord Erskine was its originator, its purpose being " to stem the tide of blind tyranny that was threatening to overwhelm the country" by proceedings against printers and journalists. If the Seddon Ministry is permitted to continue and extend the policy illustrated and indicated by the Fox Commission, some such association will soon be required in New Zealand. Would that we had the eloquence of Erskine to denounce inquisitorial tyranny of the kind. We can, however, resist it so far as we are individually conoerned. The London correspondent to a contemporary writes:— When Sir Algernon Braithwaite reduced the price of the tfornbiy Post from 3d to Id the busybodies said he would ruin the paper and himself. He improved the popularity of his aristooratio journal and increased its revenue by a very large Sgure. Now it is whispered Punch means to follow suit, but a penny comic will not appeal to exolusiye instincts of Clubs and upper circle drawing-rooms, and Punch is caviare to the million. However, the proprietors, Bradbury, Aguew and Co., have registered the title The Penny Punch, which looks like business.