PREMIER OR PARTISAN?

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16842, 28 April 1915, Page 8

PREMIER OR PARTISAN?

Not without considerable reluctance, we are compelled once more to make pointed reference to the manner in which the Prime Minister in particular and some of his colleagues distribute public information to the newspapers. We are reluctant to do this for several sufficient reasons, but chiefly because the task of criticising the Government under existing circumstances is an unpleasant one. At tho present time, with half the world at war, with the British Empire at the most momentous crisis in its history, and wit If New Zealand cheerfully accepting her slaro of the burden—at suck a time the head of the Government and his principal colleagues need the goodwill and respect of tho whole community. In all his efforts to dispatch troops to tho front and otherwise assist in the great struggle, Mr Massey possesses the goodwill of the people, irrespective entire'y of divergent political opinion. But ha cannot hope to enjoy respect if he continues'to make a marketable political commodity of Government news which should" be made equally • available to every man and woman in the Dominion. As our readers will no doubt understand, we do not ' discuss this subject lightly, nor without positive knowledge of the facts. "We say deliberately that ever since the present Government came into office there has beeti a remarkable alteration in the method of distributing information to the public through the newspapers. We say also that the change is deplorable and that its character and extent constitute A scandal. Long before tbe war period the Government's partiality, particularly Mr Masefcy's, iu this respect had become notorious, and selfrespecting journals had become tired of making protests. The Prime Minister had evidently determined that tho spoils should be to the victors, or had' imagined that public transactions should, as far a:s possible, be withheld from readers of Opposition newspapers. Time and again, on occasions without number, news items of the utmost public consequence, concerning the people's business, were given exclusively to Reform organs, notwithstanding that I equal opportunities existed for distriI bution through Liberal news agencies 1 in Wellington and through the Press Association, which knows no politics. This was bad enough—as a matter of plain fact and common decency, it was inexcusable—before the war, whoti political feeling was getting its normal, legitimate expression in the newspapers. The continuance of this practice in war time, and in respect of war news, however, is as far beyond understanding as it is beyond pardon. When the advance expedition left for Samoa a journalist.in the pay of Reform organs was permitted to go as "a sort of guide" and to flood his employing newspapers with "copy," no other correspondent being allowed such an opportunity. When the Imperial authorities gave permission for one correspondent to represent New Zealand at the front an attempt was made to secure the position for another journalist who was to be paid by and to serve notthe public, but a few privileged newspapers that support tho Government. In keeping with this practice, a very large percentage of Government information has been, and is nearly every day, given out by Ministers in the same partial fashion. We do not complain or protest on behalf of this journal or any of our contemporaries similarly treated. We simply state the facts „A «„ fb»i tW nublie is re-

who profess to serve the public. The subject has been discussed before, and we should not recur to it except for a special and highly important reason. The habit of partiality has become so confirmed that Mr Mascey has actually followed it in issuing, an appeal to the young men of New Zealand to join tho special force that is being organised for the war. An appeal for men to fight the country's battles, and the Prime Minister limits it to readers of Conservative newspapers! If over there was a deliverance that should have been addressed to every section of the community, that should have been supplied to every newspaper in the Dominion, surely this was such a one. We anticipate that the majority of people will express astonishment as well as displeasure at Mr Massey's extraordinary behaviour. We cannot say we are astonished', because . Mr Massey has been in office long enough for bis methods to become familiar; and yet such conduct is amazing. We believe it would be impossible for any other Prime Minister in the Empire to take such an obviously improper course. In order to rectify Mr Massey's mistake so far as lies iu our power, in order that for our part the enrolment of men for the war shall not be prejudiced, we reprint in another column the Prime Minister's appeal and commend it to tho earnest consideration of every young man who may read it. We 6'ncerely bope that Mr Massey will not commit such a blunder again. If the Reform Ministers desire to lower the political morality of this country there are sufficient opportunities without allowing their patronage to prejudice the supply of soldiers.