F—No. 3

8

CHARGE PREFERRED BY DR. FEATHERSTON

Mr. R. J. Creighton,

to the conclusion that the Ministry were in some way responsible for the conspiracy, beginning with the words " now take these facts" and ending " negotiations for Teira's Block." 22. Is the Southern Cross indebted to you for the reports of speeches made in the House which appear in that paper?— Yes, entirely so. 23. Can you rely on the accuracy of the reports you take down in short hand? —Yes, when I hear distinctly, which is frequently a matter of difficulty in the Reporters' Gallery. 24. How then do you account for the remarbable inaccuracies which frequently appear in the columns of that paper where members are often reported to have said the very reverse of what they actually do say ?—I am not aware of any such inaccuracies. One proof that Members do not consider so is this, I find that the Neio-Zealander has taken my report of Mr. Dillon Bell's speech in that debate and incorporated it as their own. Mr. Fitzherbert in putting this question begged to guard himself against being supposed to disparage the general accuracy of the reports of speeches which appear in the Southern Cross paper ; on the contrary he acknowledges that in his opinion, there was a remarkable general accuracy superior to what he had observed in other cages, but that, what he wished to test in the pre-, sent case was, the value in point of precise accuracy of the reports of the Southern Cross regarded as evidence. 25. Referring to your explanation of the object for which you took the report in question, do you mean thereby to admit that you would, for purposes of evidence, have taken care to check yourself, so as to insure accuracy; but that in the present report you had not adopted that precaution?—ln reply I beg to state that my explanation had reference to the passage to which I have previously alluded, and generally also to those sentences recited, in the evidence in which minor connecting words have been omitted. These omissions do not materially if at all afi'ect the trustworthiness of the report, while it may be observed that, in one sentence at least, the entire verbiage is preserved. 26. Mr. Cracroft Wilson, C.8.,] Dr. Featherston has also stated that he himself corrected the proofs of his reply for the New Zealander newspaper,-~do you allow any Member to correct the proofs of his speeches in the Southern Cross? — When I came to Auckland, I found a practice existing among newspaper men of allowing Members of the House of Representatives to revise their speeches before appearing in the newspaper. Feeling competent to the proper discharge of my own duties, without such assistance, I set my face against this practice. On two occasions, I helieve, two Members saw proofs of their speeches—not of this particular debate; I allowed no alteration that could in any way vary the meaning to be made by those two Members, and I intimated that, while as a matter of courtesy I allowed them that privilege, I could not continue the practice. 27. Mr. Richmond's rejoinder, which he was permitted in violation of the Standing Orders of the House to make to Dr. Featherston's charge, appears to be the same or nearly the same, in the Southern Cross and New-Zealander newspapers; is this the result of accident or design, that is to say did the two reporters act in concert in the matter of the rejoinder ?—I act in concert with no reporter; I make my own notes of the debates and transcribe them myself. On no occasion have I done so, and certainly not in the matter of this rejoinder. 28. Chairman.] Did you hear Dr. Featherston distinctly in his reply ?—I did not hear the introductory words of Dr. Featherston's reply, but he then advanced nearer the table and I heard the remaining portion of his speech. His voice fell at the end of several passages but I heard him. Generally a person practised like myself can almost miraculously catch sounds, but Ido not say that the miracle took place on this occasion. 29. How far is the table at which Dr. Featherston was standing, from the spot on which jow were sitting ?—Speaking from recollection he was standing opposite the Chief Clerk and nearly in a direct line with myself. Witness was discharged from further attendance. William Griffin, Reporter for the New Zealander, examined, 30. Chairman.] What is your name? —William Griffin. 31. Your profession?— Reporter; I report for the Neic Zealander paper. 32. Were you present as Reporter in the House of Representatives on the occasion of the debate on the production of Mr. Parris' letter?—l was. 33. Were your notes taken in short-hand?— They were. 34. Have you the notes of Dr. Featherston's reply?—l have not; I write in loose books, and it is quite uncertain whether I can find the book in which those notes were taken down: I might succeed in doing so. 35. Do you allow Members to correct your reports?— Yes. . 36. You cannot then from your own knowledge vouch for the strict accuracy of these reports? —We can vouch for the accuracies, as far as inferences are concerned (we have never been charged with any wrong inferences); substantially our reports are true, but not accurately: that applies principally to speakers who are difficult to hear. 37. Do you remember whether your notes of Dr. Featherston's reply on that occasion werq .submitted for correction? —They were.

1 Aug. 1861

Mr. W. Griffin,

I Aug. 1861