JOURNALISM IN WAIMATE.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Issue 12, 13 August 1898, Page 4

JOURNALISM IN WAIMATE.

(to the editor.) Sir, — In common with most people in Wai■>mate I am delighted to see you aie about to tenlarg* your paper and charge for it. It is -to be hoped, however, you will not alter the r^ize of page. I understand that it is much more troublesome to piint in small pages, but you will earn the thanks of your leadeis by c adhering to the present size. It is so much ■jjleasanter to handle a number of small pages -than be bothered with large ones which re<quire to be folded and aie such a nuisance to jread-in the open air or in a railway carriage. "When Mr W. T. Stead issued the specimen <copy of his ideal Daily Paper the size of page "was even less than the present Am'EimbEii i page. I was glad to learn from recent issues ,you are to receive a share of work fiom the <sounty and Borough Councils. This is as it should be, for yours is THE Waimate paper — everyone gets it and reads it. The Borough <Council did wisely in deciding to give you jiome of the advertising, for I believe the paper tgoes into nearly every house in the Boiongh *ndiB sent all over the distiict. It is therefor

the best advertising medium for local purposes. Your plan of constantly changing the position of standing adveitisements is a capital one both for your leaders and advertiseis. "When left always in the same place advertisements become so familiar as not to be noticed. I am glad to see you do not descend to the disleputable tiick of padding out your space with " dummy" adveitisements. I know a paper, claiming \o be the largest bi-weekly in the colony, which constantly fills about half its space with dummies, a quarter is occupied with ancient telegrams and clippings, the only valuable part being the paid-for ads. From a literaiy point of view the Advektiser is a ciedit to journalism, and as a puiveyor of local news is far ahead of any paper e\er published heie pieviously. In one particular it sets an example to the whole colony. I refer to the manner in which you report police and other cases, by lefiaining from giving names and details which do no good, but which give pain to innocent persons. A certain section of the public, not the most intellectual, relish the publication of such particulars and I am sorry to say theie is a class of '"journalist" only too willing to pander to this depraved taste. It has Deen said that there is not room in Waimate for two papers. Perhaps not, but the Waimate public are satisfied that there is room for the Advertiser. I have been sending it far north and south in the colony to former residents of Waimate, and without exception the opinions expressed have been highly favourable. Everyone is pleased with the bright, flesh, ciisp style in which you express yourself. I trust the Waimate folk will give you the cordial support you deserve for your pluck in giving them for the past three months a sample of what you are able and willing to do. It must have been a stiff job. — I am, etc., A DELIGHTED KATEPAYEE.

The Waituna School Committee holds a dance in aid of the prize fund on Friday next. One of the latest domestic comforts is flannelette sheting, very warm and durable. No more cold sheets and the warming pan thrown out of employment, fj Sold by Shackmjton & Grant at 7s 6d the pair of syds. The annualjmeeting!,"of< the 4 Ladies' Benevolent Society was held on Wednesday; present — Mrs Studholme, president, in the chair, and Mesdamea Smith, Adams, Manchester, Wilson, Jones, Franklin, Goldsmith, Wake, Duke« and (sec.) The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed and all the present officers were reelected. In on* case relief was granted and a hearty vote of thanks was \ passed^to the Library Committee for the vie of the rooms. Two membeis were proposed, and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chair.

Englishmen sympathised with them in the cause they celebrated. They were not there to justify violence and bloodshed on all occasions, they all looked black with regret 'and horror^ on" the 'scenes surrounding the Irish rebellion of 1798, but when they considered the causes which led up to that rising, the condition of the', people' and the tyranny"and wrongs they suffered under, m o one would scruple to sympathise with them. There was not at that time one" acre in seven left to the people. In the settlement that took'place on the capitulation of Limerick, it was agreed that certain alienated lands were to be restored in the counties of Limerick, Mayo and Sligo. This agreement was not carried out, but were exacted. No man could own a horse worth more than £5. He related an instance of a man who drove four fine horses. Being offered ( J620 for them] andjthe law compelling him ' to accept, he shot them and afterwards , came into town on a bullock dray. They were also in^drmculties with regard to education. No man could be a schoolmaster. It would be admitted that religions differed, that some were better and some worse and in the presence of this audience he was not going to say anything about his own. But ought men to be persecuted for religious j^ causes. £ Personally he would like a sect to hold strongly to the ten* commandments but after that conscience should be free from the -lash of the persecutor. In regard to civil rights the Irish could vote for others, but they daren't vote for themselves, they could not be lawyers, hold a commission in the army or navy,' or be'inagistrates or doctors. They might have sheep and shear them or have surplus stock but they must send the wool to England to be manufactured and the extra stock to England and it was bought at the Englishmen's own prices. "Was it a question of employment — even the Irish fishermen were forbidden to follow their calling lest they should interfere with the employment of the English. > Bribery and corsruption were rife in the election of M.P's. | They talked of the Seddon Government I and all their fancied wrongs, but the greatest wrong they suffered here was not a patch on the Government of Ireland previous to '98. Hundreds of thousands of pounds were given away yearly to reward treachery. And were there no friends of Ireland^injthisJ^dark} period?

There were, but unfortunately they were but too few and were unable to stem the vast tide of corruption. And when the outbreak at last occurred h hastened on by the new reprisals sprung upon the people, 1 " by the billeting of a merciless soldiery in their cabins day by day. Irishmen had been held up to execration and ridicule for this outbreak. Was [reland the only country. that in/ similar circumstances had recourse to similar schemes. In the souls of these men were aspirations to stuke a blow for victory. He would! remind them that all through this dark and troublous period the Nonconformists j and Presbyterians shared w'th. their. Catholic countrymen the severity of the,' penal laws. The Presbyterians never, gave a vote for any of the measures that , were calculated to turn one of the fairest s provinces of God's earth into a scene of ' poverty and riot. Let, them be thankful that the , Ireland of tb-dav was not the Ireland "of a century ago and for the reforms that have been achieved. And in the future might reforms be sought peaceably by constitutional means, in the 1 ballot box, through the Press and the Parliament and not by violence and blood. * After " Who fears to speak of '98 " had ■] been sung by Mr J. Petersen (Gh:ch) and ' " Come back to Erin " by Mrs J. Quinn Father Goggan said that a few years ago ,' he had lost his way in- the streets of] Whitechapel. Coming upon a knot of loafers he heard one of them say " Look at that bloomin' parson. 'E dunno where Vare." That was exactly the position in which the rev. chairman had left him. He had cut the ground from under his feet, had taken the sum and substance of ( his speech. But a chord vibrated in his * breast (at this point there was a dramatic j pause, the audience was breathless with j expectation, when from behind the scenes j with a sound that penetrated to every j corner of that vast hall came the clearg voice of a — drawn cork) the love of hisf country. Wherever the Irish heart? throbbed it went back to that land, and] they were met to speak of the heroes of; '98. All, all were gone, but still lived on; the fame of those that died. He thankedthe rev. chairman for relieving him of the j awful task of going back on those scenes j of bloodshed, of bringing before them the * penal laws before '98 that were a curse to j the country and a scandel to the worldj They had only asked to breathe the air as free^men. When Fitzroy was Viceroy of Ireland he did his best to better the condition of the people and on that account was recalled. It was then that the United Irishmen came forward to try and right

their country. History's pages were filled with the outrages that their country had suftered. He had only to say how pleased 1 he was to see them united, with a Protestant chairman and a number of Protestants in the audience. Let them live like : brothers together until they were joined | in a greater future. Songs were rendered by Mr J. Walls, Miss Morrison, Sergt.-Major Jones, Mr j Gus Jones and Miss Hayward and a duet by Messrs Petersen. There was a short interval, during which part of the audience went into the refreshment-room, and stepdances were given by Messrs G. Rogers, P. M'Carthy and J. Ryan, and a song by i Sergt.-Major Jones. ' Mr A. R. Barclay said the chairman had also taken Ms speech, but he had to say something. Since these celebrations were inaugurated what most struck him was how little was known about the matter. Some people thought it was a trivial affair, easily subdued, and those concerned were a mere rabble. There was not an element of truth in these assertions. Some of the leaders were among the highest hi the land. There were 70,000 lives lost, and the opinion of scholars was that, ft* ever there was a re-> bellion it was in '98. It was a national movement, the prominent leaders being Protestants. They would find the same thing all down the stream of Irish history, Protestants fighting side by side with f Catholics for the common good. And/ from the thne of the rebellion the work of '< improvement had gone on and now the ; land bade fair to become the property of '} those who till it, and there was at present a Bill being passed which would give Ire-j land Home Rule. It had been said thaT the Irish were not a loyal race. That was false, for in all the feats of arms which had made the British name famous the Irish had nobly played then' part, and helped to maintain the throne they were accused of trying to tear down. Solos were sung by Mr Gus Jones and Miss Morrison, and a duet by the Messrs Petersen. Father Cleary excused himself hom\ much speaking, as he was suffering with , his throat. They were here at the close ' of a magnificent celebration, the best i thing of the land, hi his opinion, since the ; '98 movement started. One of the part- 1 ing honours they could do was to stand up • and give three hearty cheers hi honour of t the principles that had been fought for — ] equai civil rights, perfect religious liberty ', to all, and a union of hearts of all creeds j and classes for the common good. I His Worship the Mayor of Waimate ' (Mr R. Nicol) expressed his pleasure at having been present. It was the best celebration that had been held hi Waimate for many a day. They had listened to the story of the rebellion of '98, and he was sure had gained a greater insight into the causes which led up to it. He was a | Scotchman and was proud of it, and he j loved a loyal Irishman. He would move I a hearty vote of thanks to the chairman.... \ This having been acknowledged, the" meeting ended with the solo and chorus " God save Ireland." Miss M'Guinness, Miss Dooley and Mr 0. Collins gave every satisfaction as accompanists.