Manawatu Herald. [Established Aug. 27, 1878.] TUESDAY, DEC. 13, 1904. Regrettable Rancour.

Manawatu Herald, 13 December 1904, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. [Established Aug. 27, 1878.] TUESDAY, DEC. 13, 1904. Regrettable Rancour.

The two Palmerston daily journals are firing mud at one another as fast as they can, with the inevitable result that both papers are becoming considerably besmirched as the engagement proceeds, -a consequence as sad as it is unnecessary. The trouble arose out of an announcement in the Wairarapa Daily Times to the effect that Mr Freekb, editor of the Manawatu Times, would contest the Palmerston North seat at the coming election. The Standard opened the ball by advising Mr Freeth “ to stick to his goose-quill'* because "in plain English he hadn't a ghost of a chance.’’ Mr Freeth retorted by calling bis contemporary "a notorious sycophant,” and the fat being fairly in the fire, the two papers have been wrangling like Kilkenny cats ever since. The duel recalls to mind a famous election scene in Chas. Dickcn’a Pickwick Papers, and the important part played therein by the Eatanswill Gazette and the Eatanswill Independent, whose respective editors Pott and Slurk, seemed to be capable of turning out abuse as easily and naturally as a churn turns out butter. The distressing effect of Pott’s leaders on good old Mr Pick, wick is not without its lesion to-day. Our Palmerston North contemporaries might do worse than take the hint, and adopt a more dignified and reasonable tone than they are at present doing. Such a discussion is both useless and puerile, and does not reflect credit on either party concerned. Personally wo know nothing of Mr Freeth’s capacity or otherwise for Parliament; but he is untried, and should at least be given fair play. [Since the above was in type, the good sense of both editors has asserted itself, and “ the war is over,”]