The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 789, 22 October 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1878.

We sympathise strongly with the movement initiated by the proprietors of the Otago Daily Times, the Lyttelton Times, and New Zealand Herald to establish another source of telegraphic information for the newspapers throughout the Colony. That the Press Agency have not treated the Press fairly must be apparent to all newspaper readers. During the last session of Parliament, when the struggle between political parties was hot, the anxiety of the public to obtain authentic information of the state of matters reached what might be called in this Colony, which is proverbial for its political apathy, fever heat. Upon the Press Agency devolved the task of supplying such information —of pourtraying each Parliamentary scene in neutral tints—for they are paid by the newapapers that subscribe to it to do this. How badly they performed their duties is only too well known. Of all political partisans the Press Agency was the hottest; and, to make matters worse, they took up a side totally at variance with public opinions. Instead of being the servants of those newspapers that support them, they did their best to make them their unwilling tools. In newspaper management much has to be accepted in faith. If information was cast aside for verification because it is startling newspapers would seldom contain anything worth reading. It was expected of the Press Agency that they would wire only facts to their subscribers, and leave romancing to those "special correspondents," some of whom can produce fiction enough to satisy the most voracious. Not only did the Press Agency do its utmost to prop up the Atkinson Government by telegraphing matter calculated to influence public opinion in its favor, but it has acted in a manner which would lead one to believe that it owes Sir George Gkey a grudge. Newspaper proprietors have an objection to subscribe to enable people to air their grievances, and pay wire charges for messages which must either be thrown aside, or inserted with the risk of working the injury apparently intended by their compilers. The establishment of a second agency with the object of putting a stop to this kind of thing is a matter that concerns the public quite as much as it does newspaper proprietors. Although newspaper conductors may be desirous of publishing the truth, as they are just as gullible as their readers, they are equally at the mercy, and frequently become the prey of designing men. There will be some hope now that the Press Agency will cease to emulate "specials" in propagating fiction, and vie with the new agency in disseminating truth. Competition will certainly have a wholesome effect upon the institution at whose mercy we have been quite long enough. We hope that some arrangement will be made to admit evening papers into the new organisation. Sltioo tUo n.W-c wo Ulv%-o rocoivorl information that the Press Agency is petitioning the Government against granting the special wire. This was only to be expected. But we fear, for their sake, that, as the privilege has already been granted, the agency is a day behind the fair. Even had the Government not committed itself, we think that it would be highly blameable did it not accept of the handsome offer of the three newspapers which have undertaken to upset a most dangerous monopoly.