STRATFORD

Taranaki Daily News, 21 October 1915, Page 3

STRATFORD

THOSE PRESS REPORTS. AN ANGRY COUNCILLOR. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, Yesterday. Cr. Baskin, at the Stratford County Council meeting to-day, said he wished to draw the attention of the Council to the way the riess had report?! the Council's last meeting, "'he local paper reported him as saying trat cic :.f the Council's employees who had been reported as having given permiss'on to a settler to take earth. from the Council's pit, should have been sacked, and then prosecuted. He denied saying that the man should be sacked and then prosecuted; he did not use the expression at all. He said the local press reported him "according to arrangement." It was Cr. Smith who made the expression complained of. These mis-reports had been going on for some tinie. He (Cr. liaskin) reported at last meeting that ths railway had been taking away earth opposite Harkness' property, Mr. Worthington had been said about it in the paper. Further, he reported on the blocked culvert at the cemetery at Midhirst, and a blocked' tunnel at Beaconsfield road. "If," said Cr. llaskin, "he .wanted something for his paper, why did he not report it?" When he (the Councillor) mentioned that the engineer should be congratulated on the fine work made of the To Popo Bridge, the paper wasted a lot of bold type on it. This, he still considered, was done by arrangement, and he did not think it fair. "It's me they're always driving at every time. I noticed, Mr. Chairman, that when you were speaking just now and you used the words that a settler was unable to get 'assess' to his section, and one of the reporters present smiled." Chairman: I did not say "asses," I said "assess." (Laughter). Cr. Baskin: You mean "access." Chairman: I mean "assess." You look up your dictionary. Cr, Baskin: At any rate, it is time this matter, I have complained of is stopped." Turning to the press table, he said: "Have ago at someone else next time." He said, however, that he wished to make it plain that his remarks were not meant for the Daily News representative, who, Cr. Baskin said, was too much of a gentleman to misrepresent him. Or ta Smith said he was sorry that Cr. Baskin had taken exception to the press reports, but, a* he remarked, "It's no use; the editor has always got the whip hand of you." The Council then passed on to its next business. [lt is only fair to the press that it should be explained that Cr. Baskin sits at the end-of the table right away from the press table, and as he usually turns to address the chairman and his back is to the reporters it is sometimes difficult to make out what Cr. Baskin is speaking and he generally speaks in a low tone.]