THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1892. ON NEWSPAPERS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2310, 26 January 1892, Page 2

THE Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1892. ON NEWSPAPERS.

On last Saturday morning Mr E. G. Stericker, of Sutton farm, near Timaru, gave the Timaru Herald a neat slap in the face. In its issue of the 20th instant the Herald said that of 125 papers published in the colony only 15 supported the present Government, by which it sought to convey the impression that almost all the intelligence of the colony looked with disfavor on the Ballance Administration, Mr Stericker, in reply, said that most of the Opposition papers write according to order, as they were chiefly owned by companies and large landowners. lie also stigmatised the Herald as “ the enemy of the farmers,” and pointed out how he had to pay per acre property tax while large landowners escaped with a very light impost. Mr Stericker did not say what the large landowners paid ; perhaps he had not accurate information on the subject, but it is true that half the freehold land of this colony, which is owned by a few persons and companies, paid a tax of less than 2d per I acre under the property tax. It is no 1 wonder they are growling now. The Herald got very angry with Mr I Stericker for saying this, accused him [of “the grossest ignorance” regarding the Press of New Zealand, and wound up by characterising him as “stupid.” 1 Let us just now see what the enlightened knowledge of the Herald as compared with Mr Stericker’s “ gross ignorance” amounts to. First, we shall take the liberty of telling the Herald that its assertion with regard to the Press of New Zealand is outrageously false. Let us only take this coast, beginning at Inververcargill. We give a list of the papers supporting both parties as follows: Government Opposition Papers. Papers. Southland News Southland Times Southlander Southland Weekly southern Standard Times . Taieri Advocate Mataura Ensign Dunedin Globe Tuapeka Times Oamaru Mail Mount Ida Chronicle Waimate Times Otago Daily Times Temuka Leader Dunedin Star Geraldine Guardian Otago Witness Ashburton Mail North Otago Tim*--Ashburton Guardian Timaru Oxford Observer South ' Canterbury Rangiora Standard Times Lyttelton Times Christchurch Press Canterbnr- Weekly Press mxistchurch Star Evening Globe

There are the Clutha Leader, tiie Bruce Herald, the Palmerston Times, and the Riverton Star to be accounted fpr, but we are not sure of the line they advQcate we huye omitted them. The Herald told its readers that only 15 papers in New Zealand supported the present Government, yet here, along this coast only, there are that number. The Herald may say, of course, that they are mostly small, poor papers, but' it? P^ actl y tlie class which is supporting the vernment throughout the colony, The present Government is the poor man’s Government, and consequently thP rich man whether printing'a newspaper, Jeqdiqg inpney, or shearing sheep is opposed to them. But then let us see which is the most influential at election times. When did the Southland Times get its man elected for Inverpargi 11? or the Otago Daily Times and Star coin blued for Dunedin ? or the Tim am Herald and Its vvwring echo, or the Christchurch Press, secure an election? We might have said never, but we shall only say “ hardly ever.” The honest truth is that these papers are so notoriously and shamefully untruthful that no one believes them. Take, for instance, the Timaru Herald, which tells its readers that there are only 15 newspapers in the colony supports the Government, while that number IS t 0 be fo, . ,r ? d Oh this coast ! Such a simp'" falsehood a? that indicates what it woula m a matter of greater import. How can anyone believe a word it says? No one can, and consequently it never yet was able to get its candidate elected. People like truth though it may not always be palatable. So much for the enlightened knowledge of the Herald and “ the grossest ignorance ” of Mr Sterricker. And now as regards the independence of the Press of New Zealand, we shall take the Herald’s guide, philosopher, and friend—the Christchurch Press. Who owns that paper? The Hon. Mr Peacock, Messrs P. Cunningham, G. G, Stead, A. E. G. Rhodes, Cowlishaw, and wealthy men of that description ; and when a few moutjis ago the Press wanted £20,000 who gave jt to it? Mr Moore, of Glenmark, Who i# the owner of 97,000 acres. The same cfa§s of peqpjp own the Otago Daily Times, and yet the man who says the editors of these pappus must write to order is accused of o the grossest ignorance.” What would Mr Moore," of C'- ( 'ninark, say if the editor of the Press published an article in favor of bursting up large estates? The honest truth js that the small papers are alone independent. As a general rule tin'/ are edited by their owners, who, t!i nigh poor, are fairly independent; and, not only that,

but we do not hesitate to say that their articles are often superior to those in their larger contemporaries. We are ready to back the articles in the Waimate Times, the Oaraaru Mail, the Southern Standard, and the Southland Evening News against those in the bigger papers for clearness, vigor, and breadth of political knowledge. The writers on the small papers pour out their heartfelt thoughts, while the raaehines who write to order tremble at every word lest they might say something that would give offence to their masters. Mr Stericker may well be proud of the Herald havingaccused him of “thegrossest ignorance,” for he hit the nail on the head more than once, and, better than all, he, as a farmer, characterised the Herald as “ the enemy of fanners.” So it undoubtedly is. There are 11 farmers in Parliament, and all of them, with the exception of Mr Rolleston, are supporting the Government, The Herald is following Mr Rolleston, and if there was nothing more than this to prove that it is “ the enemy of farmers” we think it would be sufficient. However, no one ever succeeded politicaliy whom the Herald has supported, so it is far better that it should be on the Conservative than on the Liberal side.

S.C. EDUCATION BOARD’S SCHOLARSHIPS.

Last year we had occasion to refer to the success of the Temuka candidates in the scholarship examination, when three out of four senior scholarships offered were gained by pupils attending the Temuka District Eligh School. This year there were no Temuka candidates for senior scholarships, but nine pupils were put forward to compete for junior scholarships. On referring to the list published in our last issue we find that on account of scarcity of funds only four junior scholarships were awarded, of which Temuka obtained two, Rangitira Valley and Timaru Main taking the other two. This is exceedingly creditable for Temuka, Had the board offered eight scholarships, as it did last year, Temuka would have taken four, but of the twelve candidates who qualified for scholarships—that is who obtained over 50 per cent of the total marks—six come from the Temuka School, and were trained by Mr T. Cheyne Farnie, who deserves every credit for the success of his pupils, WHii regard to the Rangitira VfiU~y School the teacher was Gillespie, and that his pv.pn should have won a fj-holarship with honors speaks well for the care and attention he bestowed on him.

Referring to those who obtained 50 per cent of marks, but to whom scholarships were not awarded, we qotice that the following resolution was passed by th e board on the motion of Mr Talbot—“ That tlie Tim am High School Board of Governors be asked to accord free education to a limited number of competitors, not being actual wipnera of the board’s selipTarsliips, provided that they have secured not less than 50 per cent of the total number of attainable marks, such concession to be for a period of two years, and be subject to any regulation the High School Board p|ay deem fit to propose.” This practically rqeaqs that the board requests that the Tiraaru High School should afford secondary education to those candidates free of charge. The request is a very proper one, and in pur opinipp ought to be carried out. The principle is recpgqised aqd acted upon in more than one large centre in tjj’e cplpny. If this be carried out, however, it will, as far as the present year is concerned, benefit only tvyo (Timaru) candidates, as it is unlikely that candidates who live at a distance froip qjmarq >yUl be able to take advantage pf the privilege. as the request fqv free education for these candidates ppiqes from the Board of Education, and as the board itself prpvides secondary education in its District High Schools, it is only logical to suppose that the board intends offering free secondary education to those candidates ivhose parents’ moans will not allow them to proceed tp T’lmaru. This is not embodied in the resolution above quoted, bnt we hope that the board will make iuC necessary provision at its next meeting. We suppose that the Temuka School Committee will urge the matter upon the board. If this provision be made not only will two Temuka pupils -—Master T, McKibbou and Miss E. Cooper—obtain scholarships, but also four other Temuka pupils— Masters Hope, Leach, Ifoulter, and Mann—will receive free secondary education for two years,