Notes

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 13, 1 April 1909, Page 502

Notes

The « New Zealand Times ' Some one has evidently been ' heckling ' the Nev) Zealand Times (Wellington). So much, at least, we gather from the following doleful answer to a correspondent in its issue of March 26: '"Observer" (Christclvurch). — We have no quarrel with the editor of The Tablet, and do not see why you should have. He seems a very worthy pressman with an examplary faculty for obeying instructions. No useful purpose would be answered by criticising his methods.' - ' • • * * , It takes a great load off our mind to know that the New Zealand Times has ' no quarrel with the editor of The Tablet.' We note "likewise that it finds 'no useful purpose ' in criticising our criticisms of its methods. We — not acting under ' instructions,' but of our own initiative — have twice pointed out that the New .Zealand Times has, under its present regime, fallen sadly away from its former . high repute and literary strength and standing; that it has given the hospitality of its columns to specific coarsegrained stuff fit only for gutter-journals'; that its managingeditor made, and published in its columns, a profession of journalistic faith, that, if put textually into practice, would land him every day of the week into conflict with laws that place a serious discount upon slander, libel, and ' offensive publications.' These are, in substance, our ' criticisms ' of the methods of the New Zealand Times. And we are joined therein by some of the ablest secular daily papers in the Dominion. The Neiv Zealand Times is right in its remark : 'No useful purpose would ho answered ' by criticising critics who know — and can maintain in or out of the columns of the New Zealand Times — the things whereof they write; and' it is, generally speaking, wise policy and good discretion' to have ' no quarrel '

with people who, having struck once, can strike again ia the same place. la thus -meekly kissing the. rod, has the editor of the New Zealand Times been displaying 'an oxemplary faculty for- obeying instructidns ? ' If he has been, then we -have "better hopes for him and .for the Neii> Zealand Times than- we have had for- some, time past.