THE PRESS ASSOCIATION.

Hastings Standard, Issue 2, 28 April 1896, Page 2

THE PRESS ASSOCIATION.

SCATHING COMMENTS BY THE i\KW ZEALAND TIMES.

' [Special to Standard.]

Wellington, This day,

Referring to the report of the proceedings of the Horowhenua Royal Commission, as supplied by the Press Association, the New Zealand Times of to-day says : —" The conduct of the Association was improper, outrageous*, and contrary to the elementary principles of justice and fairness by which ( it is bound to be guided. A grosser violation of duty we have never had to notice.* A news agency which is maintained for the purpose of giving the newspapers the unvarnished truth on independent authority has supplied the whole press of the colony with the biased statement of an interested party. It is the duty of the Directors of the Association to investigate this matter, to probe to the bottom, and to take such steps as will for ever prevent the recurrence of such a scandalous out raj/, on decency. The prestige of th< -->• | ciation is at stake. A news ucciicy which gives r.r parte allegatioas for facts in connection with important reflections on the character of public men, and fails to record important resolutions passed at public meetings addressed by these public men, deserve - to lose the prestige which is the only reason for its existence. The plain duty of the Directors is to restore that prestige. The matter is too serious tb be passad over. The very existence of the Press Association is at stake. If the Directors will not justify it by their conduct, the Legislature will have to be invoked to end a monopoly which has degenerated into partisanship."