The Waipa Post. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER, 14, 1911. FAIR PLAY.

Waipa Post, Volume II, Issue 61, 14 November 1911, Page 2

The Waipa Post. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER, 14, 1911. FAIR PLAY.

THAT many unwarranted statements are circulated to the detriment of public men is too well known to need re-affirming. Could the origin of man}'' of the attacks on those who devote themselves to the management of our public affairs be unearthed it would often be found that they qome from a tainted source. A leading Opposition paper (the Dominion) was aroused to a state of considerable excitement when it became known that the Prime Minister (Sir J. G. Ward) had decided to institute proceedings for libel against one or more of the Dominion's newspapers. In some quarters in "Wellington it was thought that the " Dominion" had rendered itself liable through exceeding its right of fair comment, while others" looked further north for the seat of the trouble. Both Dannevirke and Otaki were "spotted," and as events proved it was at the latter - piace, as proved by the apology published by the Otaki paper, wherein the editor expressed his deep regret that his paper had been used to circulate statements derogatory to Sir Joseph Ward, and which he was satisfied were incorrect and without foundation in fact. Even editors can be, and frequently are fooled, the great London Times being no exception (as witness the Parnell-Piggott scandal), yet as a whole there is no body of men the wide world over more out for a square deal than the editors of the New Zealand press. The lot of the editor, like that of the public man, is neither an easy nor a happy one; certainly the former has the last word, but the latter has the advantage of greater freedom, and often much

less responsibility. Public men of all parties and in every rank of politics from the humblest Drainage Board to the Parliament of the Dominion are subject to adverse criticism ; it*is part of the job, and the public man who is too sensitive iri this ' is lacking, in one~of the requisites; of public life. But while he must expect it, yet there, is no .reason ...- why. personalities should : ; 'be dragged in, as is too often the cas||; nor on the. other—hand ;;is mere .any excuse for- the.public man who, with much .fuss and feigned mdi'gnatiqny.declaies all or any adverse criticism to be a "personal atta"ck; j ' "" This, is an old and jaded " gag," yet at times In the case under notice Sir Joseph Ward was justified in asserting himself, and we congratulate him on the result of his action. Small wonder is it that so many of our ablest men decline public office of any sort while this carping and vicious spirit of imputing bad motives comes so readily to the tongues of incompetent and biassed critics. Those who think least talk most, and when they talk they generally say nasty things, and nasty things —to our discredit be it said —are somehow always worth while remembering, and —worse still —repeating ; and so by our own acts we cheat ourselves of the services of many able and sterling men by the unreasonable nastiness that is apt to possess us when we do not see exactly., eye to eye with those who ar'e>prepared.to give of their best for the public Weal. To suppose or suggest that any one political party possesses ail the virtues while its opponents possess nothing but vices indicates either or pitiable pigheadedness. As in the days of the immortal bard, so is it still true that there are " sermons in stones and good in everything) and equally true is it that there are stones in sermons and bad in everything. Let us ," give the devil his due," cultivating at all cost a fair and open mind. Will we —press and public alike —but do this then wc shall get double value from our public men, for not only will the best men come forward, but they will be encouraged to act fearlessly, knowing that both public arfd press are out to do their part, i.e., to act, speak, and write honestly.