NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9890, 5 August 1895, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The suppression of the Defamation Bill on Thursday evening last in the Assembly was scarcely different from what might have been expected from a House dominated by a Ministry that has. a mortal fear of (he press. The measure was simply intended to plaoe the law of defamation, or libel, as nearly as might bo in the same position as it is in England, and has been for the past ten years. lb was nob a measure affording any increased facilities to the press for abusing its powers, bub gave fully as much protection to the public against abuse of the press as ib gave protection to the press against being made to suffer innocently for rendering service only to the public. In fact) the principal innovation proposed, so far M conferring a benefit on the press, was

t» RJPt it; in the publication of report* of prolongs in the law courts, in public meetin and lawful assemblies of every kind, ma proceedings it is of public advanty that the public should know. Even I that case ib required to be shown lab the publication had been made ibood faith, and with no covert desire 1 doing an injury to anyone; and another the measure apportioned its benefits. It ween the press and the rest of the worla. such a manner as was a model of fairneiinti common sense. The fact that thetasure was practically a transcript of i law as it exists for the last ten years in Atious and Conservative England, is sapient evidence of its nature, and that fiwas ruthlessly slaughtered by an onrush! the Government following, with a fer Vhers with a morbid fear of press critcieV is nothing particularly to its discredb. strangely enough the attack was led byMr.Ward, fresh from the laurels heaped, on him\by the press both at home and in thi colony, win exhibited the unreason rig entimeit that seems to actuate his Goferrmenb in say'ng that the Bill would livesn opportunity to unscrupulous journalßts to attack public men. Singularly enough it does the contrary ; for it protectspublio men and combers of Parliament byexpresa provisions. He objected, he said, Id "scurrilous B bt»oks on the part of certain newspapers," and alleged that "there were a fe\ journalists in the colony who were by ndmeans fair In their criticisms." As was wel replied by Sir Robe/t Stout, that must We taken place under the present AotsW at all; and if th» Government did ncj seek the protectbn which existing legation allowed, t/ey have hardly the rigtk to complain. E/iden tly it was not on the merits of the feature, or from any consideration of its pr/poeals thab the measure was condemned, jut in part because ib came i-om the bnds of Sir Robert Stout, and mainly froa a morbid and irrational dislike of th press that declines (to dance to thf Ministerial piping. The proposed measiie was one of singular fairness and noderaton, intended mainly to enable the publiqto be served up by the newspapers with fly honest and unexpurgated report of whabctually occurs in courts and public assemUes, and ib is as significant as it most (interesting to some, to see tbab our newhelected member has signalised his entijnce in larliamerit, and his faithfulnesito party, by taking an early opportunist of recording his vote in favour of gagginitbe press.

Mr. Justice Richmond, wo has just died somewhat suddenly at Wellington, is known to the present generatpn only as a Judge of the Supreme Court, kit for many years he was one of the mot influential politicians in New Zealand He was Native Minister in 1857, won Governor Gore Browne was in difficules with the Waikato natives, and when tie war bad been commenced in Taranak He was blamed for giving the Governo the advice which led to the seizure of Watira, which brought on the conflicts in l\nnaki and Waikato. He took a strong part on the Native Territorial Rights Bil, which dealt with the title to the tribe lands of the Maoris. On the outbreak atWaitara taking place Mr. Richmond wrotea memorandum on behalf of the Ministry.in which he said:—"An occasion has nowarisen on which it has become necessary b support the Governor's authority by £ military force. The issue has been carefully chosen — the particular questan being as favourable a one of its class as could have beep selected." Mr. Ricknond was deeply blamed for the action Tiiqh, as a Minister, he took with regard to the Waitara purchase.' After he had been appointed a judge of the Supreme Ourb, and when Sir George Grey had determined that our seizure of Waitara was unjfetifiabls and that it must be given back, My Richmond courted an inquiry, and Volunteered explanation in the colony ?r tc the Imperial Government. Sir . Gtorge Grey sent Mr. Richmond's letter to the Home Government, but they took no step* in the matter. The point of the accusati»n made against Mr. Richmond and his coV leagues was that they had kept back important facts from the knowledge of Governor Gore Browne, and had, from a desire to seize the lands of the native, plunged the colony into an unjust war. That the Ministry and the Government were wrong in regard to Waitara was universally admitted. But whatever may have been said then, in the heat of a bitter contest, everybody will admit now, when the whole of Mr. Justice Richmond's career is before the world, that he was a man quite incapable of acting except with the best and most unselfish motives. He was of a philosophic disposition, and in his charges to grand juries, frequently gave utterance to most valuable observations. When the early history of New Zealand is written, Mr. Richmond will be acquitted of all wilful error in regard to Waitara. The worst that can be eaid is, that he allowed himself to be carried away by the prevalent sentiment of the Taranaki settlers of the time. He has rendered great services to the State, both as a politician and as a Judge of the Supremo Court.

The Auckland Auxiliary of the British and Foreign Bible Society holds its annual meeting to-morrow evening, in the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association. This institution has been worthily sustained for nearly half a century by a large section of the citizens of Auckland, of the various denominations, while the Nova Scotia settlers of Waipu, Kaurihohore, and Whangarei Heads have shown a devotion and liberality to the cause of the Bible Society which is simply unique in the history of New Zealand colonisation. The Auckland branch auxiliary has endeavoured to meet the necessities of public institutions, when required, the wants of out-settlers, and of the gumdigging population. The Maori race have also not been neglected. In fact, the operations of the Auckland Auxiliary extend throughout the whole province. As showing the magnitude of the work undertaken by toe parent society, it may be stated that it closes its ninetieth year with a Bible translated, more or less entirely, into nearly 330 languages. There are now 400 Biblewomen pursuing their sisterly work in the zenanas of India and the East. The work of translation and revision has proceeded vigorously during the year. In the East the great versions of India and China are undergoing revision in the light of advancing knowledge; and in Africa and the Isles new languages are being pressed into the society's service. In Korea a, new version has beau begun, so that the " Hermit Kingdom" will be accessible alike to Christianity and civilisation. There is no doubt that the frreafc political, social, and commercial revolution now taking place in the Far East will open wide doors of usefulness in that quarter of the globe to the British and Foreign Bible Society. _

The Hon. Air. Chamberlain has referred to the coalition between the Conservatives and Libera} Unionists as having been perfectly successful. Ib is certain thai both parties are heartily united in support of (the new Government. Mr. Chamberlain. i«. believed to be moving for a Pacific cable, which is* a project which ' we. ft'ywd.d think would attract his attention. Ib is stated that a friend of the lato M.

Stambouloff, the Bulgarian Minister, who was lately assassinated, has been murdered. Things in this region are in an unwholesome state, and ib is evident that) the moral feeling of the people Is low. The Turkish Government, we are told, has decided to apply its own Armenian scheme of reforms to the whole of the Empire. Probably this will nob be satisfactory to the Powers, who want Turkoy to adopt their scheme of reforms A massacre of Christiana has taken place at Kuching, in China, under atrocious circumstances, and ib la said that the Chinese officials connived at it. A hundred Urea have been losb by a groat forest fire in America. Sir Frederick Napier Broome, who has been connected with the colonies for a good many years, is mentioned as the next Governor of Queensland.