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Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 957, 2 July 1881, Page 2

Many rumors have been circulated' in town since the celebrated trial of Rees and other versus Barker began in Napier last week. As the appliances of the local journals are, necessarily, more or less incomplete, it follows, as a natural consequence, that both sides of the question may not have been given with that degree of impartiality, which, however much it may be desired, is not always attainable. Possibly, our evening contemporary has tried his level best to do justice to both sides of the question ; but we are bound to say that (although we acquit him of participation in the result) the whole of the reports —barring the Judge’s summing up —which have appeared in the Herald, have been so extremely one-sided (not to say Gannon-ised) as to leave an extremely ex parte bias in the minds of the generality of readers. We give our contemporary great credit for the public-spirited endeavor he made to have full reports wired to him, in anticipation of the ordinary course of ?> OS ?' new spaper enterprise. Hut it those he employs depart from the acknowledged rules of journalistic correspondence, and excerpt only those portions that are favorable to his own view' and inclination, the reports he furnishes are shorn of their true value. So it has been with the Evening Herald. From start to finish nothing has appeared in its columns, in connection with this case, but what it made to appear to redound to the credit of Mr Barker, and to the discredit of each and all on the plaintiffs’ side. Mr Barker has been held up as a much injured individual, (which

we do not doubt, only w r e do not vouch for the truthfulness of the picture,) while Messrs. Rees, Wi Pere, McDonald, and Tucker, are calumniated as a band of perjured conspirators. But, according to the ethics of the present day, this kind of journalism. is the correct thing. Party spirit, private vindictiveness, and political malev’ofeflce, usurp the pen of the ready writer, and inspires the hand of the agile telegraphist to deeds unworthy of the cause of Truth. It was not the object of the Herald's correspondent to let truth prevail, therefore, he carefully eliminated every word likely to tell agsinst the side on which he has cast his own die ; wdiile he most assiduously elaborated and amplified that w'hich was, impliedly, in his own favor. We say this advisedly, because it canhot be said that either side has gained any substantial success from the expenditure of many hundreds of pounds sterling. 'The plain position of parties is just “as you were.” Mr. Rees has gained nothing ; Mr Barker has lost nothing, beyond the hundreds before alluded to. He is cash out of pocket, but his legal position—whatever that may be worth—is not a w'hit impaired; and it is possible, if mediatorial counsels do not prevail, that the case will be fought out to the bitter end. In another column will be found what, to our mind, are the bone and sinew’ of the w'hole affair—the issues as put before the jury, and their replies thereto. These will speak for themselves ; while Mr Rees’ remarks will give so much of the other side of the question as to create a new diversion in this most interesting matter. There were, originally, 34 issues, but some were “ cut up,” some admitted by the other side, and others excised, so that it is useless to repeat them. The fulcrum of the whole matter seems to hinge on issues 11 and 20. We do not offer any opinion on them. They will speak for themselves, and by the light of the o.her issues, 5,6, 8, 13, 15, 17, 24, 26, and 34, must convince the most stolid of understandings that everything on the part of the plaintiffs was en regie, and entered on with a view' of carrying them out to a bond fide issue.

However, apart from any self-glori-fication there may be claimed on either side, we do hope, in the interests of all that is valuable, present and prospective, to the district, that an amicable arrangement will be rrrived at. It is very unfortunate that almost the initial phase of Mr Rees’ scheme should have been beset with so many difficulties, and opposed by so many conflicting interests. As it was in the beginning, so shall it always be. No sooner does a person see a legitimate (?) chance to steal a march on his neighbour, than he is to the fore with all the ingenious appliances of money warfare to wrest something for his own profit. Did not these middle men require to have their rapacity satisfied at the expense of everything that is honest and honorable, most, if not all, of our land transactions would be easily settled. The pacific settlement of the Whataupoko Block is the one great question on which, we may say, the immediate future of Poverty Bay depends. If that difficulty is got over, the rest .will be plain sailing, and the advancement of the district, to which many have so long looked forward, will be w'ithin our reach.