Untitled

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2614, 6 August 1881, Page 2

The Parliamentary correspondent of the “ Tiraaru Herald,” figuratively speaking, has received more kicks and cuffs than any man in New Zealand. He appears to enjoy the thing. The contempt of all honest men affects him not. He still continues in his career of mendacity. But there is method in his mendaciousness. At one time he was the persistent caluminator of the gentlemen who now occupy the Treasury Benches. He is now the servile tool who slanderously attacks the opponents of the Ministry. It is said that he is a member of the Legislature, and that he is excessively greedy for office. As we are believers in the anonymity of the Press, we will refrain from alluding to the particular individual by name. A former member of the House stated that the correspondent referred to deserved to be tied to the cart-tails and a whip placed in the hands of every honest man in the country. We quote without comment the following discussion which took, place in the House of Representatives last night, on a question of “ privilege ” : “On the motion for going into Supply, Mr J. T. Fisher called attention to a report in the ‘ Timaru Herald ’ attributing to him certain statements derogatory to the Judges. He had never spoken on the subject at all, or in the no-confidence debate, in which it was alleged he had spoken.

“ Mr J. B. Fisher said that he was interested in the report, as he saw a letter in a subsequent issue stating that it was not Mr J. T. Fisher, the Member for Heathcote, but Mr J. B. Fisher, the Member for Buller, who had spoken so of the Judges. He stigmatised the correspondent in question as a base perverter of the truth, and went on to point out inaccuracies in the report entirely altering the tenor of his remarks. He could not imagine a greater tissue of falsehoods than the statements of the correspondent in question. He had conferred with the leaders of his party, and they advised him not to bring it up as a breach of privilege, as in 1876 a similar question had been taken, and the same correspondent on that occasion had crawled before the House and made an abject apology for his slanders. It was neither necessary nor desirable that such an exhibition should be repeated, and he could treat the slander with contempt.” What a splendid addition the Parliamentary correspondent of the “ Timaru Herald ” would be to the literary staff of a Society Journal!