MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22496, 2 September 1938, Page 7

MACKENZIE COUNTY COUNCIL

TO THB EDITOR OF THE PRESS. L j Sir,— Although the Mackenzie CoWuy Council sat for about five hours at their last monthly meeting at Fairlie, the newspaper report of the meeting would lead one to believe that the council sat for a brief period only, of, say, half an hour. No one will blame the press for the scant account of the meeting. The fault is correctly laid at the door of the councillors who declare themselves in committee, and thereby apply the stranglehold on the press, when certain matters are brought before it. At least some of the councillors have a motive in preventing the discussion from reaching the ears of ratepayers. The council, however, cannot deny the press the liberty to exercise its rights in acquainting the ratepayers with the subject matter which the council dealt with in committee, and it can be left safely in the hands of the ratepayers to see to it that the wholesome light of day will shine on the matters dealt with in the dark. The council,would be well advised not to create a sus* picion in the minds of the public, and ratepayers in particular, for gagging the press on public matters creates a suspicion and disconent. I know that Mr Davidson, our county chairman, has the full confidence of the ratepayers, and may I suggest that when the question of going into committee is brought up he should ask the councillors to vote whether the matter concerned should be dealt with in committee. —Yours, etc., SUBSCRIBER. Fairlie, August 26, 1938.