The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1883.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 1, 27 October 1883, Page 2

The Telephone. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1883.

To-day the Standard is lowered to be placed in the archives of journalism. It has waved bravely over many scenes with folds still uurent by calm or storm. To-d-y marks the advent of the Telephone, a name emblematical of the progress of the age to replace that of the time honoured Standard. The Tei ep. one, as too.i as arrangements are perfected, will be issued as a daily, and the p.np.ietors, in making their bow before the publ.’c, wish to outline the principles upon whic.i we shall endeavour to conduct the journal. In the first place we shall give a prompt, accurate, and as far as our space will allow, a full account of what has been going on in the world. Particular attention will be devoted to that department, and no expense or trouble grudged to enable us to keep abreast with the times in this respect, and to fulfil creditably the first, and c_ vainly not the least important of our function, that of a NEWS-paper. In the next place letters from all sorts and conditions of men who are seeking to bring private subjects or views under the eye of the public, will find ready and impartial insertion in our colu.aus.

We shall spare no pains to raise the tone and character of the paper, in order that it maybe a welcome and useful educational i ifluence at the family circle. The slangy abuse, which has so disfigured Gisborne newspapers, will not be allowed.

Interesting and instructive extracts from newspapers and books of the first class, will be liberally inserted, and our supplements will be enlivened by standard novels feu if le'ons, for a supply of which special arrangements have been made. And finally, we shall, we trust, not be found wanting in the discharge of our engagements as the political organ of the people as distinguished from any clique or class. We would remind our readers that in its capacity of a critic of public men and public affairs, a newspaper has two functions to perform. It is at once the educator and the shadow of the public mind. When any question involving its visible and pressing interests is agitating a community, and public sentiment has not yet settled into what may be called opinion, it is the business of the newspaper to instruct, to discuss, and it may be to guide the deliberations of its readers, and in performing that duty, a newspaper may fairly devote itself to an honest advocacy of one side of the argument, and it is to such advocacy the public as a rule must look for “light and leading.” These are the days of government by opinions, and it is only when the best and the most that can be said on both sides of a sub-

ject has been said, aod well said, that something like the expression of an enlightened public opinion can be looked for. But it sometimes happens that the subject has got practically beyond discussion. The public in its dumb way has spoken its last word, and it then becomes the duty of the newspaper to give expression to that inarticulate voice. The words of the newspaper are now no longer the mere utterances of some unknown man sitting pale by the midnight lamp, but the collected voice of the town or district, possibly of the islands which make this Colony. Then the words are apt to be fateful as the writing on the wall, for the public comprise a powerful tribunal. An individual may pretend to disregard its decrees, to represent them as formed of fluctuating and opposite opinions which are mutually destructive ; but every one feels that though this tribunal may err, it is incorruptible ; that it continually tends to become enlightened ; that it always decides the reputation of public men, and that the judgments it pronounces are irreversable. Now, in both these capacities, as the mentor and the index of public opinion, we shall take for our motto the immortal words :— “ Be just and fear not, “ Let all the ends thou aimest at be thy country, “ Thy Gods, and Truths,"

From attacks upon private character, upon private grounds, we shall absolutely abstain. No one has a right to ransack the secret habits of any man, and hold them up to public view. To publish even his concealed vices, is an injury done to him, and to society—still more does this apply to his frailties and eccentricities. Everything that is interesting to man, religion, politics, science, philosophy, or practical life can be discussed with perfect freedom without the writer being either blasphemous, immoral, or libellous. We shall try to be impartial and charitable in our views. We try, as far as in us lies, to avoid personalities, even on public questions. But, occasions will arise, when our duty will compel us to severe personal satire—stern truth concerning grave public abuses, cannot be spoken in honeyed words. “ Measures, not men ” is the counterfeit language of affected moderations, fabricated.by knaves for the use of fools. How can measures aud men be separated ? What is the use of attacking measures or acts if those who advise and those who do them are never to reap anything but advantage from folly and misconduct ? We shall take care that those who profit by public fraud and corruptions, shall not enjoy their gains in honour and security. It is in thi. spirit of charity, of moderation, and of justice, if impartiality, of fearlessness, that we shall strive to cany on our political duties. We may fall short of our ideal, but that ideal’will at least be a high one. With these aims and these views, we invite the support of the inhabitants of this district. There is ample room for two newspapers here. Every public question has more than one side. A community possessing only a single newspaper must necessarily be at a disadvantage, for it cannot fail to be at the of some clique or ri.ig wl.o have their own interests to serve. Bht come wL may, come good, come ill, our fellow settlers may be assured that our interests are inextricably bound up with theirs—that we shall during our journalistic life, participate with them in all their adve itu ear’d projects, in their pleasure-, and their labours, in their hopes and fears, in their joy and in their sow w, in their anger and in their gratitude ; and that we shall, to the utmost of our power, endeavor to be 'the faithful exponent of their emotionsjand their opinions.