SENSATIONAL TELEGRAPHING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4205, 11 September 1874, Page 2

SENSATIONAL TELEGRAPHING.

(From the Tribune, September 10.) The A r «o Zealand Times, somewhat late in the day, as we think, has an article this morning, condemning the system of sensational telegraphing which obtains to so largo an extent, throughout the Colony, and the head-quarters of which unquestionably is to be found in the City of Wellington. What with “ Our own Con-espoudents” and false telegrams together, no man's character is safe. We have denounced, and shall continue to denounce, a. system so false and cowardly—indeed, all falsehood is essentially cowardice. The “ring" of conspirators will, gradually he hroken-up. Time and patience alone are necessary. We' agree with our contemporary in condemning the evil; but we must differ from him entirely as to the means he hints at, rather than openly suggests, for its abatement. He seems to think the officers of the Telegraph Department might be empowered to receive or refuse Press telegrams, as they should think fit—to become., in some sort, a species of surveillants or censors of what is to appear in certain columns of the newspapers of the Colony. Heaven forfend. No such thing should be entertained for a single moment. The cure would be worse than the disease. Let these lying prophets alone. As we succeed in. building up a purer and more enlightened public opinion, in the same proportion will their vocation become not only stale and flat (that would not matter to them), but unprofitable (and that would matter much). Not even by a sideglance must we look in the way of restriction. Our contemporary also misjudges the position of the Telegraph Agency in this matter. It is. news to the Provinces to be informed what one and another newspaper in Wellington occasionally says. The agency would certainly send the news on its own responsibility, if itsofficers had received it directly ; but being indebted for it to a local journal they telegraph the news and the source from which they havederived it as well. In.this there appears to be nothing objectionable. The JVcw Zealand Times says something ; Well, upon Government matters, it speaks not only authoritatively but cautiously, and country readers are the better of knowing what it has said. The Post says something, and when the character of the Post is known, people will take its sayings for what they are worth, and the Telegraph Agency, by mentioning the source of its indebtedness, gives the public the opportunity of judging of the amount of credence to be attached to such telegrams. We do not see that the Agency could well do otherwise.