A QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10238, 6 January 1899, Page 3

A QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE.

Before the business of the Educational Institute was resumed at 8 p.m. yesterday, Mr G. McDonald, a delegate from Otago, said he wished to draw attention to a grave breach of privilege which had been committed. That morning they went into committee, and in camera discussed the question with regard to the official journal, which included certain names it was not wished to make public. The following was the item, which appeared in that evening's issue of tho "Truth," to which he referred. "Mr W. Davidson, of the Otago branch, of the New Zealand Educational Institute, has been appointed editor of the official journal of the Institute. Mr Davidson is a member of the Executive of the Institute, is head master of the school at Waita-ti, and also editor of 'The Schoolmates,' the children's journal.' He might say that he had had a considerable amount of experience with regard to journalistic matters and he did not think he had seen anything of this kind done before. He coiild not understand that in a town like Christchnrch, such a grave breach of journalistic etiquette should be committed. He thought the Council should express its strong disapproval of it. He was in the morning going to propose that all visitors should be excluded, but those beside- him persuaded him not to do so. He was sorry he acceded to their wishes, and if he were a member of the Council in future he would take care to move that strangers were excluded. (Applause.)

The President said it was a matter to be regretted, but at the same time they should be careful not to lay the blame on the wrong shoulders. Tue matter was reported as a local, and might possibly have leaked out, and the reporter may have obtained the information quite outside the ordinary channels of the Institute.

With the permission of the Council, the reporter alleged to have been guilty of this breach of journalistic etiquette, explained that he was absent from tlie meeting during the time the Council was in committee, and heard nothing of the discussion. Mr McDonald admitted that some misconception had arisen.

The President remarked that the paragraph having appeared it couild not now be helpesl.

Later in the evening, Mr McDonald moved —"That the warmest thanks of this Council be accorded to the Press for their attendance and reports of our meeting." Some members might think he had spoken warmly. He did because he had great admiration for the Press, and owing to that admiration he was astonished at what he had seen, but no one was more pleased than he to find that it got in through misapprehension.