McDOUGALL'S MISTAKE.

NZ Truth, Issue 140, 22 February 1908, Page 4

McDOUGALL'S MISTAKE.

Lawyer Dougall, who hunts for briefs m Christchurch, sees sin .ami impurity through his double-barrelled specs, or, at least, t he affects to now and again when it suits him. He poses as a . sublime moralist when paid by ' clients to do so. Not a bad chap at heart, and wearing the smile of a cultured elephant 1 m private life, he; sheds' crocodile tears at the putrid immorality of the sin-sodden public when he dons a horse's tail and a woman's gown on appearing m. the Supreme Court, a. queer institution that is continually at variance with its own findings. % The name of the New Zealand "Truth" has often been mejitiomed m the Supreme. Courts of the Dominion when cases of a nauseating nature have come on for trial, applications being made to the presiding representative of the horsehair brigade, to have the proceedings not reported — to make an order that the reporters should lay down their pens to walk, or words to that ef.feet. And all this because the evidence was too .blastedly stinking : that the morals of those connected with the malodorous Case were smellful to a degree and that they desired the unsavory particulars to be shut out ; of print so that their neigh^bors w:\ the world generally shouldn't know .what kind, of confounded human beings were/ living-' m their midst. In a number of cases the ap l plication, made m a sertnon-like tono of voice, have, been granted, and no report has appeared m John Norton's "Truth," a paper which has refrained from, printing what the alleged] v daily '.'respectable" . rags have dared to do m a most unblushing ■manner. Well, the snuffle of ' Lawyer Dougall was heard at Christchurch this week, when he asked Judge Denniston, to prohibit the publication of evidence m a divorce case. He thought the attenuated, < clean-shaven joker would agree right off the reel, but he made a most profound mistake. Dougall was asked on what ground he made the application, and replied by stating the good, immortal old wheeze, "m the interests of morality." There were acts of infidelity. he said, that shouldn't be made pubMc. The idea of it ; who made Dougall censor , of public morals — of saying what should or should not he printed ' m the public interest ? The Judge said that hearings of such cases m camera was not the rule. It might be that he would make a rule about the matter himself, but he wasn't preparell to make a general rule. The experience m the past had been that the press acted with discretion m such matters. Then the lawyer alluded to "Truth," saying that there was one paper m the Dominion that published extended ' reports of such cases, and Hisonah said' he was quite aware of the fact, but that he'd make no order, so Mac had perforce to start on his case, which was merely plain infidelity after all. Anyone would have thought that the sin-saddened sorrower of social evils was going to adduce .evidence of trie greatest depravity on record, sins which the old-time Cities of the Plains committed without moving an cye'ul. The public of the Dominion want to know what is goiirir on around them ; want to know 'who they are inixine: with, and all the rest of it. and th'-n't is why "Truth" -is universnilv popular and why it is so easrerly rushel every week, even by. the sanctimonious snoners who sermonise about it. onrt nroHaitn its vwrWlr wjr>V(vlnpss ' from tV>e ho'isetops olid the cliurcli so ire, and, the washing boiler m the back yard.'