GOVERNMENT ADVERTISEMENTS.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 2, 30 October 1878, Page 3

GOVERNMENT ADVERTISEMENTS.

TO VHV EMTOB. StM, — Il»g to congratulate you upon the plain, •ttltpoken way m which you point out the twofold evils entailed on the country by th«6toveniinenk •rrtein of corrupting the organs of public opinion m the colony. The evil to the colony inaugurated by those HOW m power will probably go on increasing from year to year unless prompt means are taken to aip it, ai it were, m the bud, before our whole political edifice is corrupted by a Government subsidy as a reward for either actire support, or at least their silence ; for I think it would be only estimating human nature of the ordinary type to suppose that a journal which might be struggling for existence m some district might be imperceptibly^ influenced to consider it better to maintain silence regarding the misdeeds of a Government than that bis journal might perish for- want of a little aid m the shape of the Government subsidy, and many honorable men might act thus who would not give their active sup* port to what they secretly condemned. How can this cankerworm that is destroying the freedom of the Press be itself destroyed. You refer to the position of the 2fem Zeatander as being the property of Ministers, with the exception of the nephew of Sir George Grey, who holds about three times as much as any of the Ministers. This is is just like Sir George— like the ostrich— hiding his head and imagining that his hand cannot be seen ; for the public believe that Mr George is only Sir George's dummy m the matter, m some such way na ■he was Sir George's dummy m that station affair about Taupo, m which Captain Holt was a loser^jjSfceyfcorrespondenoe read m the Hflu^e-iav: y&r makes the matter clear, and that just reminds me of a Spanish proverb that says, ""He hates him because he has injured him," and that Sir George is Jikely to start m the Press Agency business pa well as m the newspaper line. So you may depend on it that the next move will be that those who will take Press news from Captain- Holt will incur Sir George's displeasure ; aad if you want to see a specimen of the new Press telegrams you have only to look at the New Zealander, where they are headed "From our Own Correspondents," and the matter is entirely composed of personal abuse of those who arc either m opposition to the Government or whom the Government hare dealt with m a high-handed autocratic manner; such as Major Mair, or some one else that it is desirable to completely crush m public estimation. You no doubt noticed the very unfair attack that was lately made by the New Zea&andef on Mr Ormond after that gentleman had made a telling speech m the {louse, I suppose I would be libeling the Government papei if I said the attack was made for the purpose of putting an end to such telling speeches against Ministers, and this would be gagging members m the House if they have to thank whether their speeches m their place m Parliament will bringdown on them the Ministers' own newspaper, so as to have their past actions sifted and distorted by a mixture of truth and misrepresentation. To my mind this attack on the liberty of the Press, and of free speech, by the Government of this colony, is the foremost question of the day, and I would be glad to see some united action taken by those who view it as a source of danger to the liberty of the colony m the future; and on this subject perhaps nothing more effective' could be than that the few electors m each constituency who are alarmed at the Press strangling business, should pledge all candidates seeking election to use their power m the House to put a stop to it by withdrawing their support from, any Government whatever that will tamper with free speech op free Press, and I trust that you will yourself receive some measure of support from the public m exchange for any loss jour opposition to the Government system may entail ov you. " That is true liberty when everyone having to advise the State may freely apeak" (Milton).— lam,&c.,> . Fbiisuh .