MR McDOUGALL ON REPORTING.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3253, 5 December 1881, Page 2

MR McDOUGALL ON REPORTING.

[To the Editor op the Daily Telegraph.] y IK) __I gee in this morning's Herald an advertisement signed by Mr J. W. McDougall, calling upon electors to " compare the Herald's report of Mr Ormond's version of the (political) compact and the same as given by the Telegraph," on Saturday last. So far so good ; but Mr McDougall, not content with this gratuitous advice to tbe intelligence of Napier, goes on to remark that " the electors will then be able to sec specimens of good and bad reporting." For this kindness Mr McDougall is, I think, fairly entitled to a little share of attention at the hands of the undersigned. As a matter of fact, I myself wrote both tbe reports referred to, and I can vouch for it that they were published in the respective newspapers as written, verbatim et literatim, and without prejudice ; consequently Mr McDougall's insinuation as implied in the concluding portion of his advertisement, that one of the reports had been tampered with after leaving my hands is quite uncalled for—more especially so, seeing that I personally explained to him on Saturday evening that the omission about which he complains was a purely accidents! one, re-

suiting from the hurried manner in which I had to prepare my report for the Telegraph and the comparatively small space available for its publication. I also suggested to Mr McDougall that the omission might easily be remedied in Monday evening's issue, but this course it would seem did not suggest itself to him as a suitable one for his purpose, (whatever it may be.) I think the intention, however, is clear enough. Those who know mo also know well that I am actuated by no feelings of animosity, either on "personal or public grounds, towards Mr McDougall, but I cannot allow his remarks on this matter to pass unchallenged, believing that they can bear no other interpretation than that I have put upon them, and are calculated to serve no earthly purpose except, perhaps, to cast a slur upon my skill as a reporter. Mr McDougall will no doubt be ready to say that he inserted the obnoxious advertisement in bis own interest, but it occurs to me that he has for once gone a little too far in that direction.—l am, &c, W. Finlay Wilson. [We had not intended to take any notice whatever of Mr McDougalls" advertisement, but as we understand that Mr McDougall is industriously spreading a report to the effect that a portion of Mr Ormond's remarks on the so-called compact was left out of our colnmns to serve a purpose, we insert Mr Wilson's letter of explanation.—Ed. D.T.]