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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3210, 9 June 1909, Page 4

The Premier stated on Monday last in reference to the confidential wire, relating to • the Dreadnought offer, which he sent to the editors of the Nwe -Zealand newspapers, that in one instance his confidence had bse.n betrayed. We have no wish to discuss the action of the individual who betrayed the Premier's conlidenca; at the same time we think there ara at lease some editors who wished that the Premier had not been quite so good as to send them the precious wire in question. Mr T. E. Taylor raad the telegram in the House on Monday night,'and it was as follows: —"March 22, 1909, Wellington. Editors of all papers where messages about battleship is sent. Strictly confidential. I have sent you an important telegram for publication in connection with the British Navy. 1 wouli like to impress upon you that the situation is much graver than is generally supposed or has been published, and ths offer that. Government has made is one which we know will greatly help Great Britain in the present crisis, chiefly by virtue of the moral effect, and as illustrating to Germany that the British Dominions will rally round the Mother Country in the time of imminent danger, as is apparent at present in such a situation. I have felt that narrow consideration of pounds, shillings and pence should yield to our plain duty to Great Britain where national existence is threatened, as the matter transcends party, and therefore feel it my duty to tell yo'2 confidentially our motive, and desire to avoid publication of anything alarming, and hence have made this strictly confidential.--,!. G. WARD." Mr Taylor added that "it was the second sentence of this telegram, he believed, which had won for the Government practical immunity from hostile newspaper criticism of the unconstitutional aspect of their action. Nearly every newspaper editor sank all considerations of party under the influence of a statement of that kind." There is no doubt that the average editor, on receiving the telegram, was placed somewhat at a disadvantage. He did not know whether the Premier was

expressing his own views, or whether the Government were in receipt of some alarming, or startling, confidential information from the Old Country. It is all pretty clear now. Certainly the telegram had the effect of, practically, spiking the journalistic guns, and possibly this was the desired result. i