MUZZLING THE PRESS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9189, 8 September 1908, Page 4

MUZZLING THE PRESS.

Some of the legislation of the recent past has provided the newspaper editors with problems not always easy of solution in regard to the conduct of their journals. The Second Ballot Bill in its present form sets up fresh ones. It provides that during the interval between the first and second tallots: —"(1) It shall not he lawful for any candidate at the second ballot, or for any person on his behalf or ill his interest, to call together or take j part in any public meeting or any meeting of electors (whether the admission to that meeting is general or restricted), or to address any such meeting. (2) It shall not be lawful for any candidate at the second ballot or any other person to print, publish, exhibit, or distribute, or cause to be printed, published, exhibited, 01* distributed, any advertisement, notice, address, article, or other document with intent to promote, procure, advocate, oppose or prevent the election of any candidate at the second ballot, or to influence or procure the vote of any elector at the second ballot. (3) The provision of this section shall extend arid apply to any period after the close of the poll on the first ballot, notwithstanding the fact that no declara-

tion or notification of the result of the first ballot or the taking of a »econd ballot may have been yet made by the returning officer." A penalty up to £2OO is provided. Apart altogether from the journalistic point of view, it may be remarked that the mention of the clauses quoted is not exactly a tribute to the intelligence of the people. Statements that are false and defamatory of candidates should certainly be put down by Act of Parliament, but the electors are surely capable of forming an opinion as to the value of fair criticism.