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Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 75, 29 June 1878, Page 2

The Wanganui Education Board must indeed be a happy family, and its sittings calculated ta afford m.- . struction and edification, if the published reports are to be taken as an index of the nature of their proceedings. The recording scribe for the "Wanganui Herald" would appear to have a thorough contempt for particularities, and — according to some of the members— draws largely upon his imagination m reporting the utterances of certain of the speakers, We are perfectly aware

that it is often found not only advisable but necessary to alter the construction of the language used at publio and other meetings, but certainly the license should not. reach to the extent of altering the spirit, or putting language into the mouths of speakers directly opposite to the views held, or the sentiments enunciated. According to the " Herald" itself, the Chairman of the Board made the following grave charge against its reporter. In referring to an account of a previous meeting Mr Watt said :— " That there had been no inadvertent mistake. The misreprentation had been intentional. The proprietors of the " Herald" lost no opportunity of maligning and injuring him, or attempting to do so, m the eyes of the public. .They | had always been at war with him, and considering their character, he would not be surprised at any misrepresentation] by them that could do him harm." In confirmation of the accusation the Hon. Mr Fox stated that having read the paragraph alluded to, in' his opinion it was hot only extremely incorrect, but that one sentence was so ungrammatical as to be unintelligible. Messrs. Dalrymple, and Ross endorsed the statements made, the latter, asserting that " the report was incorrect and misleading, and m his' opinion the reporter capable of such a fabrication was scarcely fit to be entrusted with the duty." It is only fair to the paper attacked to state that Mr Bryce was equally confident that the expressions denied by Mr "Watt as used by him, were uttered; while Mr Sanson was under the impression Mr Watt had made the observation m joke. The charge is a most serious one, and notwithstanding the very intemperate conduct of Mr Duthie m interrupting the chairman, and protesting against his remarks, we consider Mr Watt did quite right m bringing the matter prominently before the public ; and further that it is the duty of the journal so accused to sift the matter to the bottom, and repel,* if able, so grave and serious an accusation against it. Conductors of journals have a formidable power m the possession of the leading columns — a power which is able to lead, mould ipr combat public opinion, and the utterances of speakers- or the letter of the lay writer carries very little .weight when pitted against the all-: powerful Wls. Eor that reason it is most necessary that reports — be they ever so adverse- — should be furnished with an accuracy and impartiality which should disarm suspicion, and prove of'reliability.