THE MINISTERS’ NEWSPAPER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5350, 21 May 1878, Page 3

THE MINISTERS’ NEWSPAPER.

(From the Daily Telegraph.) - The accusation made by the New Zealand Times against Ministers of attempting to nobble the Press of New Zealand is we believe perfectly true. “ Company newspapers,” in which Ministers themselves . are large shareholders, must be supported c out of the public funds, while those journalists ‘ who dare to honestly criticise the actions of the Government or their supporters are punished for their mis-; doings. Ministers- have .their own axes to grind, in seeing support given to the journals in which they have an interest. The matter has become so notorious that even the Evening Post, which has-for some time-given its support to the Government, has felt obliged to opeak’ out, -The '-Post says “ The Otago Daily Times is now -being-passed-into the hands of a company, and there is- riot-wanting evidence in the list of shareholders that Ministerial influence will make'itself largely felt amongst the new proprietary.- Then in Wellington there has been -started >a .newt-morn-; ing journal, which, though: in- the hands of a ccompany, is ia a g cat raaasrire - the property of members of Sir Georgo Grey's .Ministry. The position of such journals is a false one, alike with respect to the present Ministry and to the great body of the people. .-> . . If the Ministry showed themselves to have the welfare of ■ the country at heart, and that their policy-was likely to prove ■of benefit to the people -as a-whole, it is absolutely certain that - they would obtain abundance of honest and unuurchased support from the Press. And it is only such support that, in the long run, will do a Ministry any real good. When it is known-that a. journal, while approving of the main principles of a policy which is before the country, is at the same time absolutely independent of Minister.-, and ready to condemn strongly - any -shortcomings or errors of which.-they ihay be guilty, then the ‘ support which at times may be obtained by a Ministry, from"- such - a quarter will. be ; really ‘ - worth having. We believe that the time will come when all New. Zealand Ministries will find it advisable to keep oat of newspaper undertakings and trust entirely to the merits-of their own actions and their efforts to -benefit the country, as the moans by which they’hope to secure a fair and discriminating support at the hands of a free and independent Press. -