THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 1 November 1924, Page 13

THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

The persual of a copy of an old New Zealand newspaper, which has been forwarded to us, indicates that editors exercised considerable freedom, if not license, in the early days of colonisation before the Statute Book contained a libel law (says the Wanganui Herald). Thus we, find the. Wellington Independent of November 15, 1851, making serious charges against Governor Grey and other officials. The postmaster at Wellington is declared to have converted his office into a sort of Maori brothel, and the Independent protests against his appointment as a Crown Commissioner and Justice of Peace. Governor Grey is also denounced. by the Independent for having dropped a hint to another paper at Port Nicholson (the Spectator) “not to provoke or solicit anv further. disclosures regarding his protege, but he has at the same time apparently authorised his unscrupulous advocate to try his hand at' concocting a defence against a charge of having (as agent for country lands reserved for the natives at Taranaki Wanganui, Manawatu, and Porirua) misappropriated to his own use the *-ents of reserves,” The Independent says it may fail to effect restitution of the illgotten gains under Sir George Grev’s Government, and hints that the settlers will not silently submit to see +he natives cheated and defrauded. In answer to a statement that 'the had an equivalent claim for some 'remuneration for his service, the IndeDepdent said it was “a pitiful, contemptible and most dishonest excuse for doing a dishonest action.” "Retorting, the Spectator attacks the Independent foi- personal abuse, call? the editor “an unworthy author, one -n-lio has not the slightest shadow of in hig assertion,” and advises hun to onrsue some more honest and respectable calling