THE ANONYMUNCULII OF THE PRESS.

Evening Star, Volume 8505, Issue 8505, 2 May 1891, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE ANONYMUNCULII OF THE PRESS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I have perused your synopsis of the proposed Dew Libel Act, and from my experience I believe it will be a great boon to the Press and the public. But there is one thing wanting. There should be some restriction on anonymous writers, who dare to asperse thtir neighbors but dare not sign their names. The Dunedin newspapers have of late reeked with their turgid effusions. Now, sir, the only way to deal with these anonymunculii is to provide in the new Libel Act that upon the affidavit or declaration of any person that is, or has reason to be, aggrieved by any anonymous letter, the editor of the paper in which it has appeared shall be compelled to give the name of the writer, and that upon so doing he shall be exempted from personal liability. These bacilli of the social system are becoming—have become, in fact—a terrible social nuisance ; so much so, that one longs for the return of the days when not every i fool couldwrite ! If writers signed their i names we should know what value to attach Ito their opinions ; and if many modern i letter-writers who now hide behind the bush j of anonymity were in dread of discovery, ' they would be less scurrilous than they are jat present.—l am, etc, Vincent Pyke. Dunedin, April 30.