MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1876. THE PRIVILEGE CASE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 140, 2 October 1876, Page 2

MONDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1876. THE PRIVILEGE CASE.

» ! Is our Saturday's issue we published some | Parliamentary intelligence, the chief of item of which tras the announcement that Ifr TmriP" member for

for Dnnedin City, was the gentleman who brought the question of privilege under the notice of the House, and then, of course, the talking was lively on both sic'lcs. Wc cannot help admiring the cuteness of one lion, member, who opposed the speaker reading the article, because it would tend to notoriety of the paper in which the scurrilous article appeared, and also add to its c'rculation. To say the least of it, this was very unkind. If an editor endeavored by scurrility and abuse to increase the circulation of his paper, and by adopting such a low despicable course he has to suffer for it, by all means let the choice effusions be read in the House. The member for Geraldine is one of those men who can sink no lower than he has at the present time in the estimation of members of the House, ar.d, therefore, anything he may do now to abuse the character of the members, or add to the popularity of the Timaru Jlcmlcl, will surprise no one. . When a man has sunk to the lowest depths of political and literary blackguardism, no one is astonished at anything he may do to further his own interest, or detract from the character of others. Mr. Wakefield, after eating the leak in the most humble fashion the other evening in' the House, endeavoured, to some extent, to justify his conduct on the plea that lie had himself suffered from the most unfair accusa tions from the Press, and then lie added that he trusted the present circumstance" would tend to prevent a treatment of the members of the House by the Press that almost amounted to intimidation for himself. Well, there is a bit of genuine impertinence and, vulgarly speaking, " cheek " about this last statement which is so characteristic of the honorable member for Geraldine : " Tiie members of the House intimidated by the Press." Really this is splendid ; has there, we ask, been any one man been more abusive to members of the House through the columns of the journal with which he is connected than the hon. gentleman who made this statement. If this is not a striking exemplification of the old adage the pot calling kettle black, we don't what is. As journalists, we feel sorry to sec a brother pressman in trouble, but we cannot help expressing our utter contempt for a man who, while occupying a position in the House, will, under the anonymous editorial " we," prostitute the functions of the Press to serve some private spleen. It is not the first time by many that the Timaru Herald has been made the literary newer down which the hon. member for : Geraldine has poured hi 3 scurrilous slops, and political filth ; but it is highly probable that, after the lesson he received last Friday in the House, he will be more I circumspect for the future.