OCCASIONAL NOTES.

West Coast Times, Issue 72, 18 November 1865, Page 5 (Supplement)

OCCASIONAL NOTES.

" OUR OWN COMIESPONDKNT."

Anonymous writing in the press is a system that possesses many piacttcal advantages. It is sufficient, without any discussion of tho merits of the question on abstract grounds, to know iliat the English press— tho best conducted, tho lionestest, and the most inilnentinl in tho world — has uniformly adopted and still steadily pursues the practice of veiling the individuality of tho writer and throwing the whole responsibility of what i 3 printed upon the impersonal editorial WE. Indeed, looking nt the press as a political institution, its comments cannot in any proper or strict sense be accepted as tho utterances of an individual opinion. In any well-conducted and really influential journal, the conclusions arrived at and tho views enforced aro tho result of consultation. Tho newspaper is indeed tho exponent of a collective mind, and not a inero personal organ. There ia, however, a class of contributors to newspapers, whoso writers are permitted to shield themselves from responsibility under tho principle of anonymity, and whoso individuality of opinion is modified by no corrective influence The ' ' Own Correspondent" of the newspaper holds a peculiar and anomalous position on the staff. What ho writes is published with all tho authority of the journal to which ho contributes, whilst the editor has no power of judging of the truthfulness of his statements or of estimating tho value of his opinions. Correspondence from distant centres of news is one of tho most valuable adjuncts of a high class press. But it is valuable because it is entrusted to men of high rank in their profession, >vho understand tho precise nature of tho duty they havo undertaken, and know how to keep within its bounds. Tho Times could not dispense with its correspondents at Paris or Vienna, who gather up tho threads of the tangled mass of European politics and weave them into a'consistent fabrio. Tho English public could not dispense, during the career of a new Crimean or Indian Avar, with a Russell to indite for them a story which no official despatches could tell. But these are men that belong to thohighestgrades of journalism, and have no lot or part with tho common run of Own Correspondents, who retail or manufacture gossip, givo partial and distorted views of passing events, safely avail themselves of their oppoitunity for gratifying personal animosities, and wantonly malign the community amongst whom they move unsuspected. There are many newspaper correspondents whose names nro known although not appended to their communications, and upon whom tho f let imposes tho same sense of responsiblity that would exist if their authorship wore publicly gazetted. No one pretends not to know from whose hands the letters from Wellington that have nppeared'during tho session in tho Christchurch papers have emanated. Both series have been characterised by a spirit of tho highest honor and fair play. They belong to a totally different category of newspaper compositions, to the^ class of "letters" to which wo havo referred, which are ofton flippant and vindictive when they are not actually mendacious. It is a matter of no small surprise that the conductors of many newspapers that may fairly lay claim to a general character of respectability, give their anonymous correspondents the carte hlanehe they do. In the colonies— to givo tho matter something of a home bearing — to what class do these gentlemen usually belong ? In tho great majority of cases they aro employees on tho local journals of the places whence they write, and make their communications the vehicle for the partial views, the cliqueisra, and the party prejudices and animosities that float in tho atmosphere of their several offices. They impose their own politics upon a distant editor as tho prevailing public opinion of the district, and often misrepresent men and things in a stylo they would not venture to attempt "at home." No one can' havo had the run for yeare past of tho newspapers of tho colonies, without a recollection of the many cowardly stabs in tho dark that have been giyen to political and personal reputations by distant anonymous correspondents, and their many gros3 misrepresentations of facts nnd unblushing caricatures of local society. Upon tho editors of tho journals that accept these contributions must bo thrown the full responsibility of their contents. And nothing, perhaps, is better calculated to keep alive a seiißo of that responsibility than a censorship exercised on tho spot over tho letters, scattoied far and wide, that pretend to oxpound to distant readers tho politics, manners, and incidents of the day. Hokitika is blessed, or otherwise, with ft somewhat numerous fraternity of " Own Correspondents," judging from tho frequency with which their lucubrations appear in the columns of tho contemporary press, both in Now Zealand and in the neighboring colonies. To such of theso gentlemen as really dischargo their duty in an honest and manly spirit, and help to disserainato correct information about tho West Coast and its people, tolling the truth, the wholo truth, and nothing but tho truth— nothingjextenuating nor setting down aught in nialico— tho thanks of tho community are fairly due.. But, non sic omnes. After this long preliminary statement, wo shall commenco our actual duty as censors, by taking in hand tho "Own Correspondent" of thoj Nelson " Examiner," who writes under date October 23rd, and tulls a wondrously "strange story" of Hokitika, which with all its faults ho has sufficient cause to lovo well, sinco it may be presumed that it affords him his bread and cheese, to say nothing of its accompanying beer. This gentleman can scarcely havo been promoted to his high placo as tho West Coast authority of tho Examinor by reason of literary accomplishment. Ho says somo amusing and paradoxical things in tho most harmless passages of his communication. Of the election he states, "many aro sanguino enough to hope, should we bo able to return men of ability and zeal, for their constituents, they will find allies, &o" This may undoubtedly bo English, but it is not tho English " taught in the sdlioolh." Our Own proceeds to infoim tho Nelson editor that Mr. M'Glaslmn has "consonted to bo returned," and "hardly thinks we can do better." Ho "believes that Mr. M'Qlashan will occupy one of tho seats beyond doubt" — which must bo on tho wholo a pleasant mode of occupying a seat, seeing that it reliovos

ono of all anxiety as to the chances of tho sai<i seat breaking down, and its incumbent coming to grief. Such an assured Btate of feeling would bo especially agrceablo to Mr. Young, whose name is mentioned as a probable candidate,seeing that that unfortunato " gontlemau has never sat b3fore." Notwithstanding this peculiarity of habit or immobility of joint, it is a relief to hear tho assurance conveyed in tho next sentence — ''but he is beyond doubt a talented man " Wo may admit tho possibility of a man being talented on whom naturo has imposed tho necessity of retaining an upright or recumbent position all his life. Possibly, indeed, it may havo imparted ah additional activity to tho seat of intellect, in consideration of tho enforced idleness of the scat of honor.

We excuse, however, theso littlo pleasantries. It is one of tiio commonest and worst faults of the anonymous correspondent system, that it encourages a slipshod stylo of writing which any educated Englishman would be ashamed openly to acknowledge. There is scarcely a paragraph in this letter not marked by some solecism of • grammar or some barbarism in style. Our complaint, however, is more against tho matter than the manner of this lucubration of " Our Own." We will cull a few choice specimens of tho terms in which this gentleman, who condescends to add a little lucrative newspaper correspondence to his official duties, depicts tho community ho lives amongst. Ho says, " Meetings of this description [political] in civilised parts of the colony, I havo generally seen conducted in a sober, busi-ness-like, and dignified manner ; but, in Hokitika no concourse of persona can take "plnco without almost invariably disclosing the rowdy element in the body of tho meeting or some palpable ignorance or incoinpctency on the platform." Speaking of the meeting (It which Mr, Ileeves presided at tho Corinthian Hall, to protest against tho imprisonment by tho Warden of two men for mining on tho Town Roservo, and at which a resolution of no confidence in the Canterbury Government was carried, Our Own proceeds — " After a vote of thanks to tho chairman, tho only pieco of courtesy shown by any one during tho proceedings, tho meeting broko up, and immediately broke out into another and fiercer ono in respect to tho ensuing election. The groans and Milosian howls during tho first part of tho proceedings were very awful to any ono possessing nerves, or of peaceful proclivities, but tho feelings of tho 'oijiolloi' culminated during tho second act, and anyone who had ventured to uphold anything from Canterbury, would certainly have been a fit and proper person for a coroner to have sat upon. During tho first part of tho performance, teeth were gnashed when tho hospital was spoken oft; during tho second, tho want of a lunatic asylum was also shown beyond a doubt." Our Own approves of Mr Young's candidature on tho ground that his calling has given him a- faculty of noting tho "marked similarity that exists between some human beings," (to wit, tho Electors) and a certain beast of burden (to wit, an ass.)" lie informs his editor that at a recent meeting " tho thickheadedness of somo of tho community was exhibited in a most satisfactory manner." He adds, "as usual, every one was noisy, and vory bounceable, and extremely abusive, but this and other meetings fell through because tho place cannot produce half a dozen really able men." Is this tho language of truth, or is it false testimony ? We appeal to the public of Hokitika, and ask the question of tho latest comers amongst us. who havo no local prejudices or prepossessions to warp their judgment. Boyond this abuso of the place and its peoplo, tho letter is chiefly filled with fulsomo flattery of tho Canterbury Government, and of Mr. Fitzgerald, the author of tho Representation Act. And who is the anonymous scribe that thus slandors a community ? From what impulse of condescension and self-denial docs he consent to Hvo amongst such a rough and rowdy lot ? Why should a gentleman, in whoso nostrils the oi polloi ovidently stink, banish himself from his own high sphero and select circles ? We will not be impertinent enough at present to pursuo tho personal enquiij* furthor. But it will bo a salutary lesson read to thoso who dissominate wantonly false statements about a wholo people, and whoso productions find a place in tho columns of newsjmpors whoso respectability gains them credence, that their misrepresentations will not be allowed to pass unnoticed. — Hokilika Leader,