Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE: TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1883.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1330, 17 July 1883, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE: TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1883.

Is the Resident Magistrate's Court on Saturday, Mr. W. Brassey assumed a new role. lie perhaps never heard that, wise old Latin proverb, ne sutor ultra crepidam. The gentleman’s versatile genius is so universally acknowledged and appreciated, and his soaring ambition so well known that it has been no matter of surprise to many that he has frequently aspired to the position, and assumed the composite character of magistrate, counsel, prosecutor, and witness till at once. Even though we knew all this, and more, it was with the utmost surprise that we heard Mr Bbassey ternerariously hold forth in his newly-assumed character of Public Censor of the Press. No doubt keenly feeling the great responsibility and uncertainty of his position, he piteously implored our worthy R.M. to hold him out a helping hand while he crossed this “ deep and yawning chasm. " on the narrow and rotten plank which ho had selected. We nave always had unbounded confidence in the good common sense and foresight of the gentleman who so worthily occupies the honorable and highly responsible judicial seat in our R.M. Court, but perhaps ho never proved himself more entitled to our respect than he did on Saturday by his digni» fled and sensible remarks on this matter. Now, wo have every possible respect for Mr Brasse y in his capacity as a solicitor, but that respect has scarcely been enhanced by this Bsomley case. We could go further, but prefer to be magnanimous. There are, unfortunately, a large number of residents in Poverty Bay (and we are rather surprised to find Mr Brassey amongst them) who ha»e only the most remote idea of the wide and important functions of the Press. With sorrow we are compelled to acknowledge that, in so far as Poverty Bay is concerned, the Press has been degraded and debased by its mean and servile truckling and its time-serving meniality, thereby bringing into profound contempt one of the mightiest powers of this advanced and enlightened age. In the hands of ignorant and unscrupulous men, it has been made such a power for evil, and so distorted the truth and suppressed facts, so pandered to the vitiated and debased tastes of mean, low grubbers, that it has become a living disgrace —a crying shame—to support and tolerate such a print. They sneer at the words “ truth, honor, morality,” and instead of seeking to achieve success by fair, honorable, outspoken truth, confine themselves to low, mean cunning—that being so much more congenial to their nature and pursuits. With propriety and with force can the words of the most eloquent of all prophets (Isaiah) be used in reference to them, “ Hell from beneath is moved for thee, to meet thee at thy coming.” Mr Brassey can rest perfectly content that we fully know our duty and responsibilities, and we can assure I him, though it may become necessary in the exercise of his professional

duties to endeavor to suppress truth and thereby defraud justice, that we i have a far nobler and higher object in i view, and that the new SJaSßabd is in the hands of those who respect honor ; and virtue far above all other con- ■ siderations, and who truly believe ' that success, even in Poverty Bay, | can be attained by such a strict and I impartial line of duty as shall never | sully the lustre of one of the noblest | professions the world has ever known. | We feel constrained to say that the I remarks of Mr H. E. Kenny on the i above occasion proved him to be a | man of much experience and discern- | inent, and did him the greatest credit j as a keen lawyer, an honorable gentle- i man, and a good citizen. We must i aho say, in justice to Mr Brassey, I that there is little doubt but what ere ! long, when he is enabled to overcome I those erroneous impressions which I have been inculcated into him by his . associations with some- of the worst i members of the profession that he, in common with many more who are at present deluded and misled, will recognise our praiseworthy efforts and eventually become our warm and devoted friend.