THE CABLE SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 24, 29 January 1924, Page 4

THE CABLE SERVICE

With some indignation the Prime Minister referred yesterday to a cable message which appeared in some New Zealand papers reporting signs of disrespect for the King when His Majesty went to open Parliament. Mr. Massey condemned this message as incorrect, and referred to it as an "inspired cablegram." We do not know what he meant by "inspired." The cable service to New Zealand is certainly not, so far as we are aware, "inspired." _ But our purpose in commenting upon the message and Mr. Massey's condemnation is to warn the public against basing a general judgment upon a particular instance. The cable news supplied to New Zealand covers a wide field, and usually does so thoroughly. New Zealanders who have travelled have not hesitated to say that the news from abroad is equal in volume, variety, accuracy, and impartiality to that presented by the papers of other countries—and is indeed superior to that of all but the greater papers. All classes of the community must be catered for —the commercial man,1 the sportsman, the man' with serious interests, and the ordinary man in the street. This involves the printing of news which the serious man considers trifling, as well as reports which merely bore the reader who is no student. Occasionally an item is sent of which the accuracy is doubtful. The newspaper receiving the service must then use its own judgment. "The Post" did so with the message which aroused Mr. Masey's indignation and refrained from publishing it. But we do not wish to see a service which otherwise fills its purpose admirably brought into condemnation for this or any other occasional lapse.