THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 343, 16 February 1889, Page 3

THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.

Newspapers in widely-separated parts Of the world lately have had a lively time of it, and an examination of the offences which have brought down punishment upon the m is highly suggestive of the state of affairs that would prevail if the freedom of the press were extinguished. Only the other day, the " Samoa Times" was suppressed through the action of the Germans, because it went in opposition to their designs, and was likely to prove a thorn in their side. The Commodore evidently believed that it is not true that " The pen is mightier than the sword ;", nevertheless the fact that the shafts of the "Times" hit the mark is pretty conclusively proved by the action taken against it, which is therefore a conspicuous testimony to the power of the press as the mouthpiece of public opinion. How far the suppression in Samoa succeeded is pretty well known by this time, and the rapidity with which the high-handed proceedings there were blazoned over the world must prove to the Commodore and Consul that if they imagine they are going to snuff out the free expression of opinion by the press, they will need to rise much earlier in the morning. Following the news regarding the suppression of the "Samoa Times," we,,vv;ere apprised by cable thab the "Neve Freie

Presse," one of the loading political and commercial newspapers of Vienna, had been seized by the authorities for having had the temerity to publish a description of Prince Rudolph's dead body. This is indeed very sad To describe a dead prince's body, because there was much doubt as to the manner of his death, and because it is so customary for royal households and their dependents to invent all kinds of fibs in order to hush up painful facts, was certainly a piece of brazen impertinence ! What right has a newspaper, however popular, to describe a princo's dead body under such circumstances, and thus not only satisfy the public curiosity, but also render a national benefit in the interests of truth and morality ? It should wait for the " official " announcement, accept this as Gospel, and ask no impertinent questions. Now, this course of procedure may be all well enough for those people who believe " the king can do no wrong," and that every J sovereign's court is above suspicion ; but somehow, ithappensin thesedogeneratedays that the number of such innocent people is very tmall, and there are not wanting in every nation men wicked enough to assert that, so far fiom morality and truth flowing down from the throne to the people, it is just the other way about. In fact, some go further and affirm that were it not for the breath of public opinion through a free pi ess, the "high places" of the earth would be very much looser in the matter of morals than is tho case to-day. We are, o£ course, speaking of royal courts in general ; there arc pleasing exceptions, but these avo like oases, few and far between. Possibly, high living, want of occupation, and dazzling surroundings tend to relax tho moral fibre and set up a too liberal moral code. It so, the disadvantages of life are not all on the side of the so-called lower classes. We are led to make these comments bocause of the conflicting accounts as to the cause of J/rince Rudolph's death, culminating in an admission, gradually wrung from those in authority, that tho Prince's death was the result of a disgraceful intrigue, only one of many which have been associated with the name of this dissolute young prince, whoso scandalous behaviour had, long before his death, brought shame and trouble upon his estimable sire and amiable wife. The various causes assigned for the Prince's death form amusing reading. First we learned that the post mortem examination showed that death was caused by paralysis of the heait, the result of an attack of rheumatism ; next that there was a lady in the aflair, and the Prince was shot dead by her husband then, uhat it was apoplexy ; that the Prince had been unwell (the result ot a fall from his horse), and had been addicted to taking morphia ; and so on. But above all these reports we read thatpersisteutrumourswere current that the Prince committed suicide, and that the reason for this action was not altogether to his ci'edit. In order, therefore, fco satisfy the public cut iosity and settle the "painful rumours afloat," the Empeior Francis Joseph, it was stated, had consented to allow the details to be made public. But the details only seived to still further complicate matters, and the change of ordei of burial from the private interment originally proposed to the exposure of tho body lying in State appears to have been a mere ruse to put people off the scent ; for of course the body would be so prepared that no wound would be visible, and the Prince would possibly give the appearance of having died a most righteous death. The doctois also, it would seem, weie instructed regarding the verdict they should give as to the cause of the Prince's decease ; but at tir t refused to certify to the cause — they would rather not, we presume. Since then, however, they have certified that it was a ca«e of suicide ; and not everybody believed them. Those insatiable monsters of the pi ess were still ferreting about. Then we heard of a baroness concealed' in a gamekeeper's lodge, and the Prince, alarmed bj'a forester knocking for orders in the night, and doubtless fearing discovery, attempting an ignoble escape by a window and getting shot like a partridge — the misguided baroness, in her shame and grief, poisoning herself, and the heir of the Axistiian Crown shuffling off like the hero or th villain of a melodrama. Among the reports about his death is tho extremely piobable one that, having seduced a young princess about the Court, her brother gave him the choice between a duel and suicide ; and the announcement of death sent by the Empei or to the Pope declared that he fell in a duel. Altogether, this incident forms about as intricate a puzzle as the most polemical being could well desire ; but had it not been for that description of the deceased's body given by the " Neve TTreie Pre&se," the whole matter might have been successfully hushed up and the verdict have gone forth that ifc was simply a case of paralysis of the heart ! Another example of attempts to muzzle the mouth of the press and confine its sphere of action within the narrowest possible limits, is found in the case brought by Messrs Inie, Billing and Co., agents ot the Ofcago Dock Ttnst Loan, against the proprietors of the " London Standard " for publishing the Hon. R. Campbells letter warning financiers against the loan. Here, on the ground that the statements complained of did not refer to the plaintiffs, the plaintiffs were nonsuited. But the action affords another example of the kind of transaction in which an unmuzzled press often proves itself highly inconvenient. If the loan was not a matter of public interest, we should like to know what is. Besides, one would think that financiers are quite capable of using their own common sense as experts, and weighing; the pros and cons, notwithstanding the statements, of a newspaper against the loan. There ha\e been several cases against the piesn nearer home recently, and should the game . continue, the lot of the newspaper proprietor and the newspaper editor will not be a happy one. Libel suits are expensive luxuries, and if newspaper proprietors are made fair objects of pillage when honestly endeavouring to expose abuses which exist even in connection with public bodies, the people's interest will be allowed to take care of itself. However, there is little fear ot this undesirable state coming about, and without claiming perfectly unrestricted liberty for the press, we believe that the public will always prize too highly the privileges which they enjoy in a free press to allow newspapers to be at the mercy of autocratic judges and erratic juries in their efforts to give plain fact and fair comment, whether it re Igards the palace or the cot. The press has done as much to secure justice, liberty and equality among all olasses as any agency in existence; and in maintaining its freedom of speech the people are simply claiming that right for themselves, for how are they to make themselves heard in these days except through the medium of the printed sheet ? It behoves them, therefore, to join in the demand that the law shall be so amended as to give newspapers reasonable protection in the discharge of their functions.

Dunedin Minisbers'Conference have passed a resolution directed against glove fights. ITJIO ''Standard" persists in its state ment that the copper syndicate is collapsing. Silver is being found in large quantities in the Madras Presidency.