“RHETORICAL INTEMPERANCE.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19736, 12 March 1926, Page 6

“RHETORICAL INTEMPERANCE.”

TO THE EDITOR. g lß) —Flogged by various newspapers for “ rhetorical intemperance,” I am gxateful for the opportunity of making good my charge. I acknowledge the virtues of the New Zealand press. It is clean, it is not a yellow press, and on general lines it maintains a high standard: but the chief duty of any newspaper that claims to be more than a mere news sheet is that of safeguarding the people from all that threatens, first, then moral; and, secondly, their economic welare two evils in this Dominion that menace our future—gambling and drink. With the exception of less than a dozen papers, the attitude of the New Zealand press towards these evils is determined by the advertising columns, it is unworthy. It no more dares to deal faithfully than do those politicians who admit privately that there are too many racing permits, and then vote for more in order to gain votes. I am not foolish enough to imagine it possible to stop horse racing or eliminate gambling from either social or commercial me, but me press can increase or lessen the evil. has been its tone? When the best of the racing men were behind the ettort to prevent the increase of -acing permits, why were the newspapers with a very tew exceptions either hostile or silent? Why to-day are they advocating the double “tote” and freedom to publish ‘ tote dividends? Why do they not strongly condemn the evasion of the whole spirit and purpose of permit legislation in the Government permitting clubs to run their meetings in city centres where already too many permits exist? How can the silence of the press on the following parliamentary incident be excused? When the attempt was made to legalise the double “ tote ” on the plea that it would abolish the bookmaker, those of us who opposed the clause w’ere abused as I ignorant fanatics, who were standing in the way of a great turf reform and championing the bookmakmg fiaternity. The double “tote was not legalised, but an Act was passed that threatened the«very existence of the bookmaker. What followed ? The bookmakers rushed to Wellington, and the very humbugs who had reviled us as the friends of the bookmaker wore suddenly and deeply impressed with the sacred right of every bookmaker to be tried by jury. They introduced an amendment to substitute jury for magistrate, reduce the Act to a farce, and save the bookmaker. The racing men so anxious to abolish the bookmakers and purify racing earned that amendment; the wowsers opposed it; the New Zealand press was dumb. The New Zealand press, so far as reform is concerned, is dominated by the liquor trade; it dare not and does not urge reform. When the British nalists visited us, we heard much or the high mission, sacred duties, national responsibilities, and huge educational powers of the press. How do its boasts and aspirations appear in the light of its actions with reference to drink reform? During the war a Government Commission declared the trade so inimical to commercial efficiency and our moral and economic strength that it advised the expenditure of some millions of pounds for its purchase and destruction. Has the ceslhtion of war altered the charocter and influence of the trade.' At the last poll 319,000 voters regarded it as such a curse that they voted for its extinction. Under ordinary circumstances a conviction so widespread would result in a proportionate number of newspapers supporting the reform. What is the mysterious influence that ranges 95 per cent, of the papers in opposition? In the fight between a huge and remorseless vested interest out to defend its gains and 319,000 disinterested people, mostly of the poorer class, who at great cost and self-sacrifice struggle for the uplift of the people, the high-soulod press with its mission to educate and ennoble says, “Four to seven shillings an inch, gentlemen, for anything in oiir columns.” and after taking the prohibitionists' money throws the preponderating weight of its influence for the degrading trade. Even as newsmonger the press is unfair witness. The latest example: In his inaugural address the president of the Methodist Conference attacked the trade as the foe of religion, and urged the whole Methodist Church to work for prohibition. That paragraph was carefully omitted in nearly ©very report. Is it not & fact that if the president had attacked prohibition the press agency would have broadcasted the attack' and a dozen editorials approved it? Why? “Why,” say the editors, “because we are honestly opposed to prohibition,” but they cannot extricate themselves on that plea. They believe in trade reform. Once every three years they frame a stereotyped pious article in which they urge “the trade to take warning, mend their ways and sot their house in order less they suffer destruction,” and that is the last heard of them until the^ next poll. To-day trading is rife; six o’clock closing is rapidly becoming a dead letter; in scores of public houses men are remorselessly lammed down. Hardly a week, never a month, passes without information being sent to me of these excesses. What 1 know, what every commercial traveller knows, the police and newspaper reporters must know, and vet the press is silent, and the police who would fain do their duty_ are discouraged. But editors do not believe these yarns. How innocent! nicy know this, that when the Parliamentary Licensing Committee was sitting it was waited upon by a deputation of West Coast publicans, who made no bones about their message. They told the M.P’s, the law-makers, that they did not, would not, keep the six o’clock closing law, and demanded an amendment. They defied Parliament and (he press was dumb. Is there any other trade that dares such defiance ! How the press would. shriek if the prohibition party were guilty of such action ! But. say the worldly wise, “That man ia a fool, who expects anything from the press bnt politic money-making conduct. Why. a considerable percentage of the clergy so order their condemnations of evil as not tq offend their hearers _a_rM_ igss.su