COOKING DESPATCHES.

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1717, 23 August 1862, Page 9

COOKING DESPATCHES.

To the Editor of the New-Zealander.

Sir, — Your contemporary the Southern Cross, in his article of Thursday last, commences with these words, —“ yesterday we published an extract from the despatch of the Duke of Newcastle, dated May 26th, 1862 ; to-day we give that state paper in full.” Turnin',', then, to the fourth page I find that the Cross has made a deliberate mis-statement, for instead of the “ state paper in full,” all that appears is so much, and just so much ot it, as suited the views of the writer of the article from which I have quoted above. Directly the terms of the despatch were such as interfered with the position taken up by this “ fledgling” in Now Zealand politics, the work of curtailment commenced, and the readers of the Cross were sought to be bamboozled by this artful subterfuge. In your own columns, I And the despatch in full, and by comparing the two, find also that the part omitted by the Cross considerably qualifies that part which is published in the latter journal. There is a certain science, “ more honoured in the breach than in the observance,” in which this way of doing the thing is known as the “ suppressio veri,” and in this branch of the art the Cross, during the last two or three months, has shown itself remarkably proficient; not that it disdains occasionally to resort to the more direct practise of the science in question, as instanced in Tuesday’s issue, where 800 or 900 armed natives are, without the slightest foundation for the rumour, declared to have come down to Tokenoe, and to have danced defiance in the face of the British Lion—while, with a modesty only equalled by his knowledge of, and his capability for understanding, New Zealand affairs, this writer in the Cross hastens to relieve the mind of the General from any hesitation as to his proper course, by the assurance that he, the General, would be supported by the great Smite-them-hip-and-thigh, Star No. 1 of the Southern constellation 1 The sensation created among the Military by this remarkably affable and encouraging ukase from the autocrat of Chancery-street, is said to have been most marvellous. It is rumoured that several privates and a corporal of the Horse Marines, proceeding through that fashionable quarter in a state of “ beer,’ ’ insisted on fraternising with the editorial staff, while the Cross’s “ own correspondent at Somerville’s corner '’ is reported to have made so many descents upon the “William Denny,” in company with the more ardent of his supporters among the hahitues of that al club, that he did not revive sufficiently soon as to impart the valuable information which he had gathered, in time for Wednesday morning’s “ daily,” much to the disappointment of the wonder-seeking readers of that exciting threepence-worth. The more so, as it is currently reported that before it could be prepared for the next day, such disapprobation from a high quarter was expressed, that even the very notes were burned in awe and trembling by the editorial fingers in the editorial fire itself. How long will the public stand being thus tampered with? Do the people like to be gulled, I wonder? Is it really a fact that the subscribers of any paper will, because there may not be a sufliciency of news to fill a daily sheet, allow the literary speculator to palm off mischievous canards upon them in lieu of bona fide information? Or if a portion of the press is sunk so low' as to pick up its information at the comers of our streets, have not the supporters of such a journal even sufficient self-respect left for their fellow citizens (if they have none for themselves), as to demand that such qobemoucherie should be headed * brom our own correspondent at Somerville’s corner,” or, “Yesterday, in passing along Queen-street, we overheard a discussion on the Native question, between the men employed in scraping the road, when,” &c. ? , , . Keally, sir, it is, I think, high time that the frown of public indignation was brought to bear upon such erratic journalism, and that if a portion of the citizens chose to support a paper inimical to interests of this city and province, as far as regards its relations with the southern portions of the colony, they ought at any rate, to prohibit their bantling from crying “ wolf, ’

which it does as much for the sake of alarming the timid as with a hope of whistling on the wolf itself. It It will be well for its Auckland supporters to see that it does not hire itself out to Southern pens. The tinkling of a silver tongued bell was plainly visible in Thursday’s “ Wellington gossip,”. the first part of which was as mischievous to Auckland interests as the latter part was amusing. The peroration on the Auckland honerable was sublime. “ Tom All Alone’s” dance on the treasury benches is however no myth like that of the more warlike dance of the “ Pokonoe contingent,” and doubtless the dance will be enlivered with a song when the flattery of the “ Oily Gammon” of debate shall have found its way back again to Wellington. I am, Sir, An Old Sinner. Hades, August 21st.