NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENCE.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 329, 12 June 1878, Page 4

NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENCE.

The Timara Herald in an article on the above subject, says :—lt has, indeed, long been a debatable point whether the true function ox tlio Press is to guide and from public opinion, or to follow and express it: but it is quite certain that any really able paper which chooses to adopt the former role with, vigor, is pretty sure to succeed. The usefulness of newspapers too, as a medium between those who have ideas to convey and those to whom they wish to convey them, is not, or ought not to be by any means confined to the leading columns. Where the purpose cf a. newspaper is rightly understood and boldly taken advantage of, the correspondence columns aliord a most convenient field lor intelligent and effective discussion, in 01 rent Britain, and in a marked degree in France, where the Press is exceedingly able and powerful, this method of public debate is much resorted to, the greatest statesmen or most distinguished characters not deeming it at all beneath them to ’ write to the papers,’ In this country, however, the case is different, and the correspondence columns of the Press are not made nearly so much use of as they ought to be. For some extraordinary reason it is considered in bad- taste for people of any consequence to *' air their notions,’ as the phrase goes, in the newspapers. Wo believe one great cause of this is that newspapers correspondence has been vulgarised and degraded by the two free employment of the, anonymous style. We are convinced that it would be much better if everybody writing to a newspaper were to sign las own name and address to the letter. If this were

the invariable practice, newspaper correspondents would write with more care and under' a greater sense of responsibility than they clo at present; and on the oilier band, we are quite sure that very much greater weight and interest would be attached to what they write, than if they wrote anonymously. We are oflou quite sorry when we receive a letter on public matters from someone whose personal expression of opinion could not but be highly valued, and are asked to publish it under u. pseudonym, ido many nobofies' in fact, scribble irresponsible rubbish as ‘ X.Y.Z.,’ or 1 Givis,’ or 1 .Innins/ or * Observer,’ that very few people we fear over read a letter through that is not signed with the name of the writer. This is a great pity, because, as ire have pointed out, persons whose opinions are well worth having, and who are in a position to spc.nl: with authority on the subjects with which they deal, not unfroqnently write anonymously.”