SOCIETY JOURNALS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 45, 4 February 1881, Page 4

SOCIETY JOURNALS.

The N. Z. correspondent of the S. A. Register is an enemy to society journals. Tn one of his letters Ix 3 ' sa y S : — An evil has sprung into existence in more than one town in New Zealand, whhh is painfully associated with legitimate journalism. I refer to the starting of what is known as " Society papers." These nre wsofcly publications in which the sayings and doings in private life are brongiit to the light of day. Scandals, in fact, and not a few of them infamously scurri'ous. Hints are thrown out as to Mrs H— frequenting balls and parties during the ftbsence of her bus i band ; but she is always attended by I a y\ v D . Or we find that Miss B , who was affianced to Mr V- , has refused to ratify her on gagements in const* quence of a liahon he had contracted with some woman who has long been tabooed from association with virtuous womeq. Some employer, indicated clearly enough j by his initials, or by the nature of his , calling, is cautioned to look to his cashbook, as it caunot be understood how young IS manages to live up to five times his salary, and keeps a horse and handsome young housekeeper, if he runs on the square These and other offensive peisonalities, written in fearful bad taste, and with an envemoned pen, foi m the stupe of our society publications. It is quite probable that some few of these attacks contain : a grain or two of truth to a whole bushel of lies, but they wound, and scarify, and lacerate, and cause exquisite pain ; and the fallows who pen such articles are simply scoundrels -r- men without character, without responsibility, without any worthy surroundings, but who are, some of them, as clever as they are unscrupulous and callous of feeling. Two or three of these men have been thrashed or have had their coats torn from their backs ; but this is what they ask for. It makes their papers sell. An action for libel has no terrors, for the scamps have nothing to lose. And people of a better class do buy these prints and read them. It affords that kind of unwholesome excitement which people feel when they stop in the street to witness a dog fight or a pugilistic encounter. Of course such publications can only be ephemeral, but they cause much mental agony and many bitter heart burnings in households and families. In San Francisco and parts of the American States the revolver or the - bowie knife dispose of such writers as I refer to. - Here they feel they. are safe." It J may not always be so. For myself Ido not say I would not lend my handkerchief to assist one of these rascally libellers — these destroyers of home happiness and woman's fair fame— at the first convenient lamp post.