Muzzling the Press.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 147, 27 May 1885, Page 2

Muzzling the Press.

[Wangaui Chronicle] We wish to enter a strong protest ' against a practice which is daily becoming more prevalent m this town, namely, that of withholding important information from thu public journals on the flimsiest and ruo.<t shallow of pretexts. We will refer to one instance only this morning, although several very similar m character might an. -oly be quotod. At a mooting of the Wanganui Steam Navigation Company held last night, and partially reported m another column, an important communicition w»s delivered to the meeting from Mr. Ballance, respecting matters of the deepest interest not only to the company but to the public generally. The Press representatives were requested not to report the message, a very pa l try reason being given for -such a request] and for our part, we have kept the pledge given by our reporter. Why this particular communication should not have been made public it is difficult indeed to understand, .seeing that the members of the association were pledged to no such secrecy themselves, and that the mysterious announcement of last night will be town's talk to-day, ft is u'ter nonsense to suppose that such n«ws tv.n b« kept secret for throe weeks, for tint \.< really the limit of time ivquitvd before it is 10 on officially made public. There are times, wo admit, wh-;ii it is decidedly injudicious to give too early a publicity to mown of an important character, but huijli an objection dues nol apply to (lie care \v«»liaT« mentioned. Wo object must. stro:r»|y to the Pivss beiiijr nur/.zl«d m this manner, more especially whni no tjood what v«?r can res »lt from sn.-h a course of action.