The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1885. THE OPPOSITION PAPER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1287, 8 January 1885, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1885. THE OPPOSITION PAPER.

“ Opposition is the life of trade” is a trite old saw, and we find it very applicable so far as wo are concerned. Some people, who no doubt thought we were making too much nioiV'V, have started an opposition paper for Geraldine, and the resist so far is that we have lost one subscriber and gained three. We have, therefore no reason to complain at present, but at the same time there are a few things connected with this matter to which we desire to refer. First, the amount ot money we get out of Geraldine is very small indeed. We invite anyone who doubts this to examine our books, and see for himself whether tins is not a fact. We did not think that the amount was sufficient to excite the cupidity of any one: much less did we expect the person whose greed it has aroused to comeinto competition with us for a share of it. The person who has started the opposition paper was our bosom friend, we looked upon him as the greatest friend we ever had in the colony, and it grieves us to feel that he should be the first to try to run us out of a means of making a living. In this matter he has proved that his friendship is of the Judas Iscariot kind, and we wish his supporters joy with one who could to guilty of such treacherous, cowardly conduct as to try to cut the ground from under a friend. The man who can do a thing like that to a friend will turn his back on the people of Geraldine when it suits his purpose. Now, we ask any man of common sense, Is there room for two papers ? Anyone will have very little difficulty in coming to a conclusion on that head—one must die. Now, what sort of a paper have they been getting ? and what does the new one promise to be ? are the next questions. First, we defy any town south of the line of the same size as Geraldine to show so good a paper as the first paper it has had. Second,it has been instrumental in establishing more than one local institution, and it is well known as an ardent advocate of local industries. Third, it has been taken notice of outside the district : the National Bank scheme which it originated, has been brought under the notice of Parliament, and Sir Julius Vogel has promised to inquire into it. Also the Homes for Working Men scheme which it originated, has been taken up by the unemployed Commission, and we have it from a private source that it will form one of the leading features of the report which the Commissioners will lay before His Excellency the Governor in a few days. Now, these are facts that cannot be gainsaid, and the question which must naturally arise is, Are the people of Geraldine going to crush out of existence the paper that originated these ideas 1 Wo undertake to answer for them—They are not! Now, what is the new paper ? Simply this. When the evening paper is worked off each evening in Timaru it is stripped of its name, a Geraldine name is put to it, and it is allowed to lay there until next morning when it is sent up to Geraldine as a morning paper ! If it were sent up the same evening that it is printed there would he some sense in it, for the people would have it about 12 hours earlier, but the pushing, enterprising proprietor thinks this would be too good for ueraldine. The weather is hot now, and too much sweat would be lost in the exertion of bringing it down to the evening train so it is allowed to wait there until it is brought down quietly and comfortably in the cool of the morning. Now is not this ridiculous to start with ? Why do not the people get the paper the evening it is printed, Its first number said it was established to supply the latest telegrams. Let anyone compare it with the Timaru Herald, and it will be found that it is 24 hours behind that paper as regards telegrams. The fact is it cuts out the telegrams that appear in the Timaru Herald and serves them up next morning for the Geraldine people as the latest telegrams, Now, is it not impudence to say these are the latest telegrams ? Has it not made its first appearance with a lie on its lips ? Its supporters may well be proud of a paper whose first utterance is a lie. Next it says it has been established to give good reports of local bodies. Fancy the anxiety, the tribulation, and the sorrow of heart of its proprietor as he sits in iimaru contemplating how disastrous it is to the Geraldine district that the liraaru Herald and lids paper are not sufficient to give publicity to the proceedings of its b'cal bodies! Let the people ot Geraldine take notice how it reports the proceedings of the local bodies of Timaru, and they will realise what they will presently get. Another thing : let the working men of Geraldine ask the working men of Timaru what they think of the timaru evening paper, and they will be told that it stinks in their nostrils. Let them also ask the pro-' meters of the Timaru Woollen Factory Company bow that paper assisted Uiem, and they will be told it snubbed them because they did not advertise. Let the per pie ask these questions and satisfy themselves ; we do not ask them to take our word for it. Just let them inquire into these matters, and satisfy themselves, The ».0. Times was a staunch supporter of Mr Turnbull until last election. It then turned round and abused him, when its proprietor wanted to get into Parliament. Anyone can see from this that its proprietor is a prac-

lised hand at cutiing the throats ot his friends, and that he is capable (f such treacherous tergiversation any moment that it suits himself. The Geraldine Guardian supported Mr Rolleston, and 't stuck to him. Its proprietor wanted to get into Parliament also, but feeling that it would be inconsistent and dishonorable to oppose the man he had hitherto supported lie refused to comply with two requisitions asking him to stand and off-red himself to the Gladstone electorate instead. Here is an opportunity of comparing the two men. One s! icks true to his principles and his friends, while the other feels no compunction in violating all the laws of friendship when it suits his own purposes 1 After the elec ion in Timaru £>oo working men off rod to support a Liberal paper if one were started ; Mr Turnbull spoke of this at one of his meetings, and several men in Timaru offered to take shares in a company started to establish a Liberal paper tor the town, and we arc informed that £2OOO were promised, One of the leading men in the movement came out to Temuka, and asked the proprietor of this paper to amalgamate with the proposed project. We refused, because we would beg sooner than be guilty of ruining a friend. The next month our Timaru friend returned the compliment by starting in opposition to ns here. Before he did so we told him that we had refused to go to oppose him in Timaru, and he then promised not to oppose us here. People can see now how he has kept that promise. Supposing it suited this man to advocate Timaru against Geraldine interests, would he do it ? Most undoubtedly bo would. In conclusion we can confidently say we have done our best for Geraldine, and we feel sure the people appreciate our efforts. Some of them say that to withdraw support from us now would amount to breaking faith with us. They say they induced us to establish a paper for them eighteen months ago by promising to support it, and they think that to withdraw that support now means breaking faith with us. We thank these people most heartily for their kindness, and we sincerely trust we shall never lose their confidence. They know what we have done ; they know we would do more if we had it in empower, and we feel confident that they will not forsake us now for a paper that is despised by the people amongst whom it has hitherto heen circulating. We shall have something more to say in our next issue on this subject;