A Good Yarn Spoilt.

Feilding Star, Volume I, Issue 277, 28 May 1907, Page 2

A Good Yarn Spoilt.

The Lyttelton Times bas been deprived of its lawful prey, and all because of the inveracity of a newspaper correspondent. A telegram was sent around with that versimilitude for detail which is a notable feature of most news emanating from that source, that Mr E. J. Riddiford had purchased Mr Godfrey Pharazyn's property at Taonui for £45 an acre, while it was said that only £20 an acre had been paid for the property a few years ago. Nothing was mentioned of the handsome buildings ereoted there, or of the extensive improvements otherwise made in the shape of drainage, planting, garden, etc. So the Lyttelton Times held this up as another reason why the Land Bill should be passed, and pointed out the enormity of a landowner seized of the possessions owned by the purchaser being allowed to scoop up another slice of God's own country, to keep the horny-handed son of toil out of possession of what properly belonged to him, and all the rest of the stock-in-trade of the supporters of the new Land Bill. But the whole point of the affair was spoiled by the fact that Mr E. J. Riddiford has not purchased this fine j property, and has no intention of j adding it to Ms numerous possessions. | In the first place, as we have pointed : out, the telegram was misleading, as 'it pretended that the owner was making a profit of £25 an acre out of it, and in the second place it was not true — a very potent reason for restraining abuse of individuals before making sure of your ground.