Showing The Way

NZ Truth, Issue 1188, 6 September 1928, Page 6

Showing The Way

pOB a long period "N.Z. Truth has published its net sales figures from the point of view of giving advertisers a definite 'assurance of their reading publio. To-day the lead we gave is being followed by some of' the daily papers m the Dominion, and the time is Wt far distant, we hope, when the publication of circulation figures will be' compulsory. Six years ago, "N.Z. Truth's" weekly- sales were just over 50,000. Our progress since then, steady and unflinching, is an achievement without parallel m the newspaper history of New Zealand.

It is a triumph" of independence over interests, of truth oyer suppression, of free and vigorous thought over the sterility of muzzled opinion, of candor over cant. It is the vindication of honest journalism.

But whatever satisfaction we, as. a newspaper, may feel m publishing the proofs of our success, we do not forget that the main credit must go to our readers. No independent paper would exist unless there is a- truthloving public to support.it.

We are not so. foolish as to believe that we, as journalists, can mould the opinions of the people as we will. That , is a delusion that may be hugged by diyers pseudo-Napoleons of the Pressbut not by us.

We can do no more than reflect to the best of our ability the current of opinions which pass through the minds of thinking men and women, and which have their genesis m the experiences, the sufferings and' the aspirations of the mass of the people.

"N.Z. Truth" does not make readers. ''N.Z. Truth's" readers make us. They support us because of our adherence to a fixed policy of freedom of speech through a free Press. The majority of the great daily newspapers rarely tell the whole truth about anything that involves the vested interests of our times. They claim to be independent, and they are, just so long as they do .not hurt the feelings of the BIG MEN sitting up aloft. We dare to tell the truth.. And the public knows it. That is the secret of our success.