NEW ZEALAND PRESS

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 May 1937, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND PRESS

CHURCH PAPER’S DEFENCE [per press association.] HAMILTON, April 30. This month’s Waikato “Diocesan Magazine” editorially criticises the attack made on the newspapers by the Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour. “By comparison with many of the ‘dailies’ and ‘weeklies’ published in England, the newspapers of New Zealand are of a very high standard,” says the editorial. “They are surprisingly free from that cheap sensationalism which characterises so many of those papers to which we have already referred. One or two ‘weeklies’ in New Zealand have, it is true, built up a large circulation through frank (but- far from indecent) discussion and reporting of Police Court news, but in so doing they render a real public service. A sense of shame is often the strongest deterrent to people who cannot respond to less painful treatment, and the publication of this class of ‘news’ only confirms the Scriptural statement: ‘For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest; neither anything hid that shall not be known and come abroad.’ Therefore, we entirely fail to appreciate even the truth, let alone the advisability of the attack, which the ‘Rev.’ C. G. Scrimgeour launched against the Press of New Zealand.” “As for the publication of religious matter, the principal daily papers of New Zealand are most generous. Furthermore, they hold the balance very fairly between the various denominations, and we have nothing but gratitude to express for this fair and courteous treatment.

‘‘Were this not editorial but rather an expression of the personal opinion of the writer, we should have something to say about the ‘flabby indefiniteness' of this new cult known as the ‘Friendly Road,’ from which has emanated this most unfriendly and vicious attack upon those who, without any mouthing of the word ‘friendly,’ have at least shown themselves to be friendly towards all that is for the general good of the people of the Dominion.’’