Government Advertising.

Manawatu Herald, 25 June 1896, Page 3

Government Advertising.

The Manawatu Times has the following article on the above matter :—The unscrupulous manner in 'which the Government have used their power of advertising patronage to reward journals devoted to their interests is again to be reviewed during the present session. A return has been promised, which . vjj^supply some interesting particulars. When addressing a publio meeting at Christchurch recently the Premier said, with regard to the charges against the Government in this respeot, that the outcry arose from the fact that the Ministry had reduced its gross expenditure in that direction to one half the amount spent by the Stout Yogel Ministry. This is on a line with the usual course taken by tho party when ••cornered." Whenever charged with mal-administration, the Goyernment endeavour to find refuge in an assertion to the effect that a previous Government did something worse. The case against the Go- . vernment i 3 not that they have spent more than they fhould have expended, but that they have made a gross misuse of their power in distributing the money among journals devoted to the support of the Ministry quite irrespective of the value to be given in return. That ia the charge which they have to meet* &&••■*■• &•*•• attempts to draw a red herring across the scent will not divert publio attention from the real issue.