THE H.B. TRIBUNE. WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1911. COUNSEL AND THE TRIBUNE.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 170, 5 July 1911, Page 4

THE H.B. TRIBUNE. WEDNESDAY, JULY 5, 1911. COUNSEL AND THE TRIBUNE.

During the last two days we have sacrificed the general news which in the ordinary course of events i would have appeared in our news columns in order t o publish as nearly a verbatim report as possible of the action heard m the Sniprcjne Court at Napier, in which 11. lan i Simson claimed £3OOO damages] from George Nelson and the Tribune, Ltd., for an alleged libel published in this newspaper. We deprived our readers of the usual quota of world’s news, believing; that by so doing—the ease being one of great local importance in view of coming events —we were, serving the best interests of our readers in placing before them an unabridged statement of the court

proceedings. Having done in this way that which we considered a duty, we do not intend to weary our readers with any comment regarding the result of the action, not only because comment from us who have been made to appear indirectly interested in the case is inadvisable, but because we know that the intelligence of those of our

readers who are acquainted with the persons immediately concerned is the very best guide we can have to lead public opinion to a right, proper, and correct conclusion regarding the affair. As a matter of fact, we would not have referred editorially to the libel action had it not been that certain statements made by plaintiff’s counsel in his reply to Mr. Bell have, through total ignorance of facts, misrepresented the purpose the. “ Tribune ” shareholders had in view when they invested money in this paper. To serve the need of the moment and to prejudice, the mind of the jury against defendants, Mr. Solomon made all the use he could of a carefully’ fostered class hatred, and he did this thing without the remotest knowledge of the matter he emphasised. and while being wholly’ unacquainted with the high character of the men whose political morality he assailed. He said, ** I would like to know for what purpose this precious newspaper was purchased ? Why do these capitalists go in for a paper of their own ? We have to

take things as they appear in the newspaper. They have this newspaper for political purposes, of course,” meaning that the shareholders in the “ Tribune ” Company are wealthy men whose investment was made that they should possess an organ to be used for the furthering of the particular interests of their own class at the. expense of the welfare and interests of every other section of the community. No one knows hotter than the writer of this article how very’ far Mr. Solomon wandered from the truth when he jumped at and made use of the conclusions he gave utterance 10. The sale of the Hastings paper ■>. as a private business transaction —a perfectly legitimate dc-il between two men. and f’v<- i-du-vs-a'd rs such Mr. Solo-

in exceeded his privilege in the i i court in a’.tributing, on no other i |aut'’ori.y than his own false con- ] I c.’usions, politicalmotivesof a ques-j ‘ tionable character to the parties; concerned in the purchase of the , property. Knowing that it is ne- ■ cessary this matter should be made ; perfectly clear to the public—that i the misconceptions created by’ Mr. i Solomon ma.v be removed—the: i writer feels justified in making a i slight breach of confidence with the ' shareholders by stating that the i fear of imputations being made that' they were actuated by questionable ! political motives caused them to at first refuse to look at the invest-; ment. It was only when it was j pointed out that the property was I for sale, and that if they did not: interest themselves in the matter some less conscientious buyer would come along and unscrupulously use the paper for his - own political' ends, that they gave any considera-' tion at all to the offer. What is it that “ these wealthy men,” as ] Mr. Solomon terms them, have

1 ■lone that he should hold them up j :;o public opprobrium ' They have] secured’ to Hawke's Bay a clean, ! fair, truthful, ami interesting news- ! paper —a paper which they intendshall speak with authority and • always give a true reflection of public opinion : they have improvjed the town of Hastings by thej erection of a very fine block of I buildings ; they have assured to the town the emnloyment- of a large staff of employees; they ■have, in slort. invested their money in a local enterprise to assist the advancement of the province. instead of sending their; money' away —as Mr. Massey alleged ot hers were doing-— for mvestment in foreign countries. This is what they have done, ami their first reward is to be set up as targets by a King’s Counsel that he may’ fire his invectives at to further the : cause of his client. To prove that Mr. Solomon had no justification for introducing private business of the shareholders into bis address

in reply, we have only to state that

before they read it in the "Tribune” the shareholders and directors. Mr. George Nelson excepted, had no knowledge of the letter which was the cause of the suit. The author of the letter took upon himself the whole responsibility with regard to the consequences of its appearance, and the fact that he was a shareholder and director in the company did not influence the editor in giving it publication in the slightest degree.