JOURNALISM IN WAIMATE.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Issue 14, 27 August 1898, Page 7

JOURNALISM IN WAIMATE.

(to the editob.) Sir, — I would like to say so much that I am at a loss to know how to compress it into the space available for inc. I am an outsider, and probably an unbiassed outside opinion may be of weight. lam not surprised that a second paper has been started in Waimate ; my only surprise is that such has not been the case ere now. I speak my mind, and the feelings of my heait. Every enterprise undertaken by the people of Waimate — I am not one of them — has proved a credit to them — except the Waimate Times. However, I do not wish it to be understood that I blame the present proprietor for all. But the faot remains — the Waimate Times is not a reflex of the enteiprise of the good people of Waimate, and in the hearty hope that a small beginning will have a large sequel I welcome your paper, and congiatulate you upon your pluck in launching out on a venture, which, but a short time ago, may have seemed a foolhardy one. I hope, however, that your office will not turn out a machine for flooding the trade. May the hideous monster " Sweating " (not unknown in Waimate) never darken your office. Never bung your daughterspardon me, I do not even know if you are married — into the trade competition, and, above all, though your piofits may be small, pay your men a wage which will enable them to live honestly. Theie aie " men " in the trade who call themselves Liberals. They employ principally boys— and sometimes girl's — and when they become entitled to journeymen's wages, they get a choice between 25s (sometimes less) or a holiday. In this way their office is a machine for flooding the tiade market. These Libeials pi each Liberalism, hound down sweating, are joyous at the fall in the pi ice of money, etc. In many instances they are fast fattening theniuelves, or, in other other woids, feathering their nests. They aie money-lenders, at what rate ? Four or five per cent. ? I have known one of these ask 10 per cent., but by great peisuasion he came down to 7. They try to pose as poor men — they are capitalists, worth thousands. Labour organisations must be asleep, if they do not see through these things. If they do see them, they do not fulfil the object of their existence, if they do not bring such hypocrites before the proper tribunal, and make them show that they are not in a position to pay the labourer a fair day's hire for a fair day's woik. Waimate is looked "upon as a model Union district, and I call upon them to make the Advertiser such a success as will permit it to enter into the spirit of Unionism in real earnest. I am, etc., Labobe Jtjbe.

(to the editor) Sir, — I was tickled by your parable of the drill-shed prodigals, and now that your paper is abused for being small, my mind reverts to the story of David and Goliath, and I say History repeats itself. David young and light — the Advertiser, Goliath big and boastful — even for the Times. Goliath twits David for being small and scorns him. Here the parable waits for you to complete it by aiming, as did David, at the weak spot, and bringing Goliath down with a sore head. I am, etc., Waiting.

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